My Kitsune
by oOSilverKyuubiOo
Summary: Sasuke is the last prodigy of the Uchiha clan. He wants revenge on his brother by getting power, even though he's got the greatest power anyone could ever dream of...in the form of the adorable azure eyed fox Naruto. SasuNaru
1. Prologue: My Strange Finding

**_SilverKyuubi says:_** Hey guys. This was originally posted on so I'm that same SilverKyuubi. I wanted to post it over on here to see how things worked out.

No flames please! I'm trying to work things out with a beta, so I know the grammer might be a little messed up. But please excuse it for right now, it would save me a lot of trouble. I'll try to have a beta to look over my work soon. If this seems similar to anyone else's idea, it is completely coincidence. I try to keep my stories as original as possible. I hope you all enjoy this.

**_Pairings:_** SasuNaru (main), there will be side pairings, but I need some ideas as to who they will be. Ideas, anyone?

**_Warnings:_** This is a yaoi/shounen-ai fanfiction. That means boy x boy love to all who doesn't know. If this makes you uncomfortable, than this isn't the place for you. No flames please on the content of this fanfiction. I gave everyone a fair warning.

**_Disclaimer:_** Naruto belongs to Masashi-sama. I make no profit in writing this.

Enjoy.

****

**_My Kitsune _**

_Prologue: My Strange Finding_

My past is what some would call a tragedy.

Which I suppose it is in a way.

I was weak and afraid then. It seemed I always got in everyone's way. I wanted what my older brother had, as I'm sure most of the village population wanted too.

The village nearly worshipped the Uchiha family at the time. We were powerful, and feared. We held the highest reputation and respect. We were the genious clan who always served Konohagakure when it was in danger or in need. Children in our clan were expected to learn a lot of things in early ages. We had to uphold the deserved respect that we received from everyone. We were fire users, some of the best, and our family seemed to always smile and have a good outlook on life no matter what dangers they had to face every day. We were honored and cherished in the village, and my life seemed almost blissful and priveleged in others' eyes. But I guess I was the only one who didn't feel that way.

All I had wanted at the time was the approval and acknowledgement of my father. It was the only thing I every strived for, the only thing that I could ever really want. My father never really displayed love or affection, not even to his favored older son. But, atleast my older brother had received respect from my father. He was never turned away, or put off for some other reason. And while my big brother held a difficult life-style of working hard and not coming home until very late, it was still what I wanted. Because if I was as good as my brother, then maybe my father would look at me and see me.

He told me all the time that if I tried hard enough, I could become just like my nii-san. Over and over. No matter how hard I pushed, and far I got, my brother's level would always be too far beyond my limit. But if my father could look at me, then I would go to those limits and surpass them. But even then, it was a hopeless dream.

When the other students at the academy would look at me, their eyes would fill with envy. I was an Uchiha. I was wealthy and had a higher status than others. I was shown as better than others in everything. But I never payed attention to them. I focused everything in my beginning ninja abilities and in my schoolwork. I never cared about anyone or anything else.

I don't really understand the workings of fate or of the gods. I never put much thought in my younger years as to why certain things happen, or if should have atoned for earlier sins. Then I realized that maybe fate and the gods that supposedly live above the clouds in paradise are merely relics to blame for everything. At first, the people of long ago created these higher beings to explain certain phenomenons just to sate the curiosity of why some things happen. They made them seem so terribly human at first. But now, I can see that instead of completely worshipping these higher creatures, we now blame them for our faults and sorrows and pains.

I know I sure as hell did.

I used to wonder, "Why me?". But then I guess that at some point in their lives, everyone would wonder that. You're always wondering why something's out to get you. Or why this certain event had to happen to you. Or why you had to receive the short end of the stick in a particular situation. You lose something important to you, and you don't know who to turn your anger and frustration out on in that time, so you blame the higher beings in the sky that watch idly by as you tear yourself apart in your misery and anguish, and that maybe you might feel better.

I did all of that. But I never felt better. I still don't feel anything in myself. I have a certain someone to direct my anger and hatred and frustration at. I will never forget and forgive. Even at that young, tender age of 8 years, how could I have forgiven him for taking away the only thing I had?

I wanted strength and power. And I was willing to swim in the obyss of darkness in order to find it.

I thought I could get stronger by hating.

I thought I could get stronger by fighting.

I thought I could get stronger by crushing all other feelings within myself.

So it's not a surprise that I never would have thought that I would find everything that was taken away from me in the reborn form of a fox.

It was another rainy storm in Konoha.

That happened a lot in Konoha, mainly because of all the trees and prosperity lands that the village was surrounded by. Rain in Konoha was always refreshing, and the children loved to play and splash around in collected pools of water while their mothers would scold them and demand them to come back inside before becoming sick.

This, however, was not how it was in the Uchiha residence.

It was eerily quiet, and the rain was loud and echoing off of the nearby houses and shops in the vicinity. The roads were drenched, and there were strangely no lights on like in the rest of the large hidden village. There were no people out, even though it was in the middle of the day with the sun merely hidden behind the clouds. There was noone running the shops, and there were no lights in the houses and huts. The potted plants were decayed from lack of nurture and care, and the atmosphere surrounded this section of Konoha reeked of despair and blackness.

A cackle of lightning sprout from the clouds, and the rumbling thunder that followed seemed much louder than it normally should have. Death has made this place much quieter and revolting then it once was. The buildings inside the of this residence told tales of spilled blood and silent screams in the night.

Another flash lit the sky and the ground below, and a shadow stood out on the ground at the entrance to the Uchiha vicinity. It's eyes glowed slightly in the darkness of the day, its eyes quickly scanning the area to assure its safety. The creature that was slowly and cautiously easing its way in the deserted area was not human, but an animal. It was noticably smaller and slimer than a normal dog, and it's shape and body was graceful and feline looking. This young creature was but a fox that had happened upon the Uchiha estate.

As it slowly entered the vicinity, it winced when it accidentally stepped on its left hind leg. Even though the rain was getting heavier by the minute, blood was still noticeably coming out of its hind leg. The fox was wounded. It was desperately trying to get somewhere with shelter and protection from the rain so that it might be able to survive the on-coming night that was fast approaching, but it could hardly move. Even with its careful steps, the wounded leg would occasionally rasp against a stray rock or lump of dirt. The rain beating upon it was not making it better, and it appeared to become more swollen as time passed.

The fox glanced around desperately, drenched in rain, as the corners of its vision began to darken slowly. It spotted a nearby shop that held some form of shelter from the rain, and it began to limp as quickly as it could to get there. The fox was panting, and it felt terribly hot, and then cold right after from the rain, and light-headed. Its leg was throbbing in pain, and the darkness in the corners of its eyes were becoming more noticeable as it spread its vision. It was trying to get to the shop as fast as it could, but the pain was becoming nearly unbearable. The shop seemed miles and miles away, and the poor fox thought it might never make it there alive.

The furry creature finally tripped on a big lump of rocks and collapsed on the ground. Even though it was half conscience, it still fought and struggled to get up and keep moving to the shop, but its leg would not allow it. It finally gave up, and lay there, blinking the rain out of its eyes and panting slightly from the harsh effort it gave in order to get out of the rain.

The young fox was at its limit, and its vision was fading. But before it lost conciousness, a figure appeared above it, standing over it. It was quite shadowed, seeing as the fox couldn't see well, and at the appearence of the human the fox was nearly scared as the human stood there before the fox with an umbrella over its head. But when the lightning flashed over the earth again and revealed the features of a young boy with dark, ebony and the blackest pearls of eyes that the fox had ever seen and the pale skin of a doll, it suddenly felt at ease.

The injured fox had never seen a more beautiful person in its life, only the boy's strange beauty filling the fox's mind as it was finally consumed with a peaceful and painfree darkness.

Uchiha Sasuke at the age of 8 happened to love rainy and stormy days. It could be that its sounds were comforting in his very lonely hours, or it could be because it was the mirror of his emotions quite recently. Either way, he had recently developed a fond love for the rain, and he always looked out his window to admire it on these days. Rain in Konohagakure was common, and he couldn't ask for better company.

Sasuke's obsidian eyes traveled over the traditional Japanese style huts and houses of where his family used to live. He used to visit his family often, as they were all very close. The Uchiha clan all lived in one unit afterall. Or used to anyhow.

Sasuke's eyes shut briefly. Bringing up memories of his past family was painful, but he couldn't help but do just that. Now that they were gone, he was subconsciously conjuring up every last memory of every family member that he could think of. Their deaths were still very recent, and the pain and shock that the Uchiha clan had perished so suddenly and quickly was still very present in the minds of the villagers and in Sasuke.

It has been a whole month since their funeral and remembrance ceremony. He still remembered how it was. It was one beautifully carved garnet tablet to represent the whole Uchiha clan. Most of the vilage was present in this ceremony, and the sky had been just like it was on this day, though the rain wasn't nearly as hard. It had been a silent and subtle shower, with the sky very dark and soft rumbles had vibrated in the clouds. Sasuke had wanted to cry then, as only a child would after their whole family's deaths, but he didn't. Instead, something worse covered his face as he stared unblinkingly at the black tombstone as words of praise were preached among the crowd by the Sandaime Hokage.

His face was of total and complete icy indifference. He had now officially learned this look, and Sasuke idly remembered how at the time of the funeral, it must have mirrored Itachi's cold mask.

A spark of anger filled Sasuke has he snapped away from his memories.

_Itachi._

That name alone brought a deep anger from his heart. When he had first thought of his brother after his awakening in the hospital, he could only think of betrayal and grave despair. Overhearing the nurses talk outside his room was immediately disturbing, and suddenly the ache in his chest was so grave that all he wanted was to sink in the bottom of a dark ocean and fall asleep and never wake up. He wanted everything to be a nightmare so that he could run into his mother's arms and have her stroke his hair and calmly tell him that everything would be alright.

But everything hadn't been alright. Even then, he knew things would never be alright again. He knew it when he left the hospital and walked towards the Uchiha estate. He knew it when he passed by shops and houses with memories of his family would appear, and then he could see that they were no longer there. He knew it when the rain started to come from the skies, and let the knowledge that his family was gone finally sink in. He knew it when he knelt before his parent's death site, blood stains still prominent and the white ink showing the outline of where they lay.

Even before that, he knew things wouldn't be alright the moment that his slow panic began when he came home from school and the figure that sat upon the high pole. When there were no lights to shine upon the roads, even though it wasn't near bedtime. When his heart was beating in his ears as he approached the room that held a dark aura about it, when he slid open the doors and found his brother standing over their parent's dead bodies. When his most admired person turned cold and emotionless sharingan eyes to him and showed Sasuke the memories of how his big brother had ruthlessly killed and murdered each member of the Uchihas.

Nothing would ever be alright.

Sasuke didn't cry at the funeral. He didn't cry when he was alone in the big and empty house. He didn't need to. He held in his tears, and let his subconscious inner tormoil tear him apart. He let the dark feeling for Itachi settle in the part of his heart that had been torn out by said person. Sasuke was beginning his plunge into the darkness, letting an indescribeable dark anger fill his heart to take up the space of where his feelings had been torn.

At such an innocent age, Sasuke still didn't realize that the feeling was hatred.

Even though he had claimed to hate Itachi back then, it was nothing like this.

Another flash of lightning startled Sasuke from his thoughts, and he once again payed attention to the outside droplets that were still heavy and falling like buckets. Sasuke looked down below from the second story of his house to see the roads with little rivers and large puddles. He watched some leaves follow the paths, and as he watched, his attention was drawn to a small movement below, farther down the path and coming upward more.

Sasuke blinked as he tried to recognize what it was that was coming down the street. Was it a person? What would a person be doing out here in this heavy rain near nightfall? In the Uchiha residence no less? Sasuke squinted his eyes as he tried to get a better look since the person was nearing toward his vision.

_'Not a person...'_ Sasuke thought with a furrow of his brow. It was much to small to be human, maybe a dog? Yes, perhaps a dog. Sasuke's thoughts turned toward the Inuzuka clan, and maybe this was one of their dogs. Though he still couldn't understand why it would be _here_. It was raining to hard, and it might get sick if its out here.

The young Uchiha then noticed the way it walked. He was able to see that the dog was walking awkwardly and in a limping fashion. Sasuke then came to the conclusion that it must have been injured. He saw it try to attempt to get to the shelter of a shop nearby.

Sasuke sighed. Maybe he should just try to treat the dog and give it back to the Inuzuka clan. Or give it to them anyway even if it wasn't theirs. He didn't have any use for a dog anyway. With that thought set in mind, Sasuke got off his seat and grabbed a rain jacket from his closet. He went downstairs and grabbed an umbrella by the door before slipping on his sandals and leaving the house and into the pouring rain.

He couldn't spot the dog immediately, but as he went further up the road, he saw it still trying to frantically limp toward the small bakery shop there. It was a slim dog, Sasuke noticed, and he could make out a reddish type of fur that clung to the animal. It was horribly drenched and soaking wet. Sasuke avoided the bigger puddles and mud piles and attempted to get to the dog. When the creature collapsed some 2 yards away from its goal, Sasuke broke out into a trot to get to it.

When he was standing over it, the animal looked up at him in slight fear. Sasuke then realized that this wasn't a dog at all, but a fox. It's narrow snout, slim figure, and firy auburn fur was impossible to mistake. It was very beautiful, in fact, but its most stunning feature was its beautiful azure-blue colored eyes. Sasuke stared in awe at the hazy ocean pools that stared back up at him, fear gone, before the fox's eyes finally shut slowly.

Sasuke snapped back to reality, and turned his attention to the fox's hind leg. It must have been bleeding horribly, though the bleeding stopped now, and the area around the leg was swolen and turning purplish. It must have been infected.

Sasuke's first thought was that the fox died, and another rock sank in his stomach at the thought that he was once again useless, but the soft and almost unnoticeable breathing coming from it denied Sasuke's thoughts. It was alive, just horribly sick. And apparently, it wasn't from the Inuzuka clan either.

_'I'll just fix it up, and then return it to the forest.'_ Sasuke set this idea firmly in mind. He didn't even know why such a thing was here, but it didn't matter. This would be his deed to it, and hopefully he would never be bothered by anything again. He didn't need such unnecessary emotions coming in. Whether it be something stupid like this fox, or anyone else. Sasuke's thoughts caused him to glower at the unconscious fox, and he slowly knelt down toward the collapsed animal. He put his umbrella down on the ground, no longer caring if he got wet or not, and picked it up carefully.

Sasuke held it gently toward his chest, as if it might break, and then trotted back to his house to get out of the rain. The thought that the fox might not even live crossed his mind, but he would do his best to treat it and let it return to wherever it came from. He decided that this would be his last gift to anyone other than himself. He knew it sounded completely selfish and uncaring, but he knew he didn't want a replay of what happened to his family.

Once the last Uchiha was inside, he kicked off his sandals and carefully placed the fox on a cushion in order to get a better look at its leg. It was definitely hurt bad, and it was panting heavily even in its state of sleep. Sasuke felt the fox's forehead and wasn't surprised to feel it burning. He got up to find a towel. It first had to get dry or else it would get even more sick then it already was. He got a fluffy one and then proceeded to dry the fox. Once Sasuke was sure it was dry enough, he went through the cabinets for a first aid kit. He didn't know if the same rules and medicines applied to animals as humans, but this was the only thing that he had that might help the fox.

He did his best to clean the wound and then bandaged it. After putting a cold wash rag on its forehead, Sasuke let it rest for a while. Maybe that's what it really needed after all of this. Sasuke went to hte living room and sat on the black leather couch that was there. He sat down exasperatingly, more worn out than he would have thought. All those thoughts running through his head were becoming more stressful with time, and he needed a break. A distraction. _Something._

He wearily closed his eyes and shifted in order to find a comfortable position on the couch. He opened his eyes half-way hazely, and glanced at the fox laying on the soft cushion. It looked so adorable and peaceful in its sleep. Its breathing was much more calm now, and Sasuke allowed a small smile to escape on his lips as he gazed at it. He closed his eyes slowly with the fox still within his vision.

Sasuke felt his mind get a little hazy from weariness. He strangely felt nice and warm with the knowledge of some other living thing in the same room as him. He reopened them again very slowly and tiredly to once again glance at the adorable fox. Yes, he indeed was very pretty with that golden, sunlight hair and whiskers on the sunkissed skin, which was very unusual in the village. The auburn ears that were peeking were twitching cutely, and that tail sprawled out on the cushion looked very soft and huggable...yes, he was very-

Sasuke suddenly snapped his eyes open and he was immediately awake and alert as he looked toward the cushion again and the creature that lay there. He stood abruptly from his seat and was alert and cautioned as he stared with wide eyes at the boy who looked no older than him and was laying quite comfortably on his cushion.

Indeed, the young _boy_, not the fox that was once there, had blonde hair with firey auburn fox ears peaking out where normal _human_ ears should have been. A long tail came out from right above his bottom, and the boy had 3 whisker-like marks adorning his cheeks. The boy was covered in old grey rags, as it was no excuse for clothing, and the bandages that once bound the wound on the hind leg of the fox now lay in ruins from the increase in size.

Sasuke stared in wide shock as he stared hard at the child that lay peacefully oblivious to his wonder.

_What the hell?!_

**_A/N:_** Here's the prologue. I know it's short, but it's the prologue. It's supposed to be.

Reviews make me happy! .

Later.


	2. Fox's Awakening

**_SilverKyuubi says: _**Well! Thank you all so much for the reviews. I'm glad I got positive feedback on the prologue for **My Kitsune**. I'm glad you all like this idea, and I hope I can still receive support from all of the readers.

**_Warnings:_** Um...Yeah, this is yaoi. Boy x boy, shounen-ai, etc. Don't like, don't read. Flames will be for roasting marshmellows!

Also, this is un-betaed. No beta for this. So if there's a spelling problem, or grammer problem, don't get on my case please. I really didn't want to go over this twice.

**_Pairings: _**main-SasuNaru. Send reviews if you wanna clue me in on what other couples you guys want on the side.

**_Disclaimer: _**Me no own Naruto and co. They just come to my door from the requests I send Masashi-sama and I bend them to my will.

**_Thanks to:_** **_TehGlompingKitsune45_**- Yeah, Sasu-chan is gonna take care of Naruto

**_KV5 Egypt_**- blushes well, thank you. I'm glad you like it.

**_Em-chan 01_**- Glad you like it!

**_Silversnow10_**- I thought you were angry at me at first...for making it long. I'll try to update!

**_Jadej.j_**- Glad you like!

**_Yin-yangwinds_**- Thanks for the offer. I'll come to you as soon as I'm in need of a beta.

**_Moonlight black rose_**- how many times did you put 'update' on there?

**_Savelove_**- Yup! Sasu-chan and Naru-chan forever!

**_Dark Toy_**- Yeah...scratches back of neck I had some borders, but when I uploaded it on it erased all of them for some reason. . Sorry! I don't think Sasuke will be perverted this soon...when they're older, definitely. But this isn't a fast 'run to the sex scenes' fic.

**_Silversyren_**- Naruto-chan is ALWAYS cute:3

**_Psalmofsummer_**- Huggable Naru-chan for everyone! Yes, this has stuck in my mind and I will not stop until I have it out.

**_someone_**- And I will update! Glad you like it.

**_NemesisMuse_**- Thank you much!

Enjoy.

0o0

_**My Kitsune**_

_Chapter One: Fox's Awakening_

0o0

_Indeed, the young _boy,_ not the fox that was once there, had blonde hair with firey auburn fos ears peaking out where normal _human_ ears should have been. A long tail came out from right above his bottom, and the boy had 3 whisker-like marks adorning his cheeks. The boy was covered in old grey rags, as it was no excuse for clothing, and the bandages that once bound the wound on the hind leg of the fox now lay in ruins from the increase in size._

_Sasuke stared in wide shock as he stared hard at the child that lay peacefully oblivious to his wonder._

What the hell?!

0o0

The cool breeze was very refreshing.

The leaves were beginning to start changing colors as the first signs of cold weather blew in. The sun was mildly warm, while the breeze was cool enough to send a slight shiver up your spine, but not enough to want to cover yourself. Leaves of various reds and light yellows all tumbled along the surface of the forest with the wind. Yes, the leaves loved to follow the wind. It was a mesmorizing process, the stillness and silence very peaceful and reassuring. The sky was beginning to turn a deep and powerful orange as the sun was casting some of its last rays across the sky, making the forest seeming more ethereal than before. The leaves reflected its firey light, and it was a perfect moment to capture in one's mind.

Blue eyes blinked appreciatively over this surface. Here, he was free to do as he pleased, and free of the pain in his leg that he felt moments ago. He was free to run, to swim, to laugh, and to enjoy all the life he wanted. Wanting to live in his dreams was one thing he shared in common with the humans, although he would never understand why humans would want to live in things like houses and kill others like themselves. Why kill your own kind? It puzzled him indeed.

A warm smile spread over his lips. _Oh well..._

Who cares when you have everything you want here, right? Maybe now he could go and find someone to play with. It was what he liked the most, since maybe such a thing as friends was to only remain in his dreams...

0o0

It was still a moment later after Sasuke's realization that he was still staring openly at the boy laying across from him with mouth agape and eyes still slightly widened with shock.

He still couldn't comprehend how this happened. One minute he was a drenched and sick fox that he found out in the rain and took home, and next a young and unusual looking boy layed in the place of said fox with some weird ears and a tail! How could anyone explain this?!

Sasuke calmed down a bit, straightening himself and giving the thing in front of him a more contemplative and calculating stare as he tried to come up with a solution. His first thought was that this person... or _thing_... might have put a henge over himself to make him appear as a fox. But why would anyone want to do that? What reason was there for taking such an action? And Sasuke noticed that he definitely never saw this boy in any of his classes at the Academy. He would have drawn way too much attention to himself, with or without the animalistic traits that the sun-kissed boy seemed to have acquired. His blonde and unruly, spiky hair was no where to be found in Konoha. At least as far as he had ever seen.

The Yamanaka family has blonde hair, as he painfully remembered how the heir of the Yamanakas, Ino, would always fawn over him when they were at the Academy. Much like the weird pink-haired girl as well. But the mind-controlling family had more of a platinum blonde that was nearly white, but not quite. This boy's blonde hair was rich and golden.

Sasuke tried to think more of it as the fox boy continued sleeping, but then decided that maybe it would be best to ask the boy rather than ponder why he would be here.

Sasuke slowly and carefully approached him, almost as if he might spring up any second and gobble him up. Sasuke supressed a shiver, and then scolded himself for such childish thoughts, although he couldn't help but consider the possiblity of 'what if'. He was only 8 afterall. Why do weird things keep happening to him?!

The last Uchiha slowly reached his hand down toward the stranger's shoulder, and trying to repress his trembling. He was an Uchiha. He could wake a weird strange looking thing that came struggling down the Uchiha compound streets and ended up in his home and suddenly turned into a boy with weird ears and a tail. Yup. He could do it. This was his home afterall, and he got to choose who stays and who goes.

Sweat was prespiring from the young Uchiha, and the way he was holding his hand out to wake the boy was somewhat amusing. He was trying to keep his body as far away from the boy and only extend his hand as if it would keep him safe. Sasuke was then suddenly reminded of his brother, and decided enough was enough.

He finally placed his hand on the boy's shoulder after calming down. He noticed slightly that he was very warm, and it was almost comforting in a way, but Sasuke shook the boy slightly so that he would wake up calmly and not alarmed by Sasuke's presence and then decide to gobble him up and spit him out. Or something like that.

When the trespasser didn't wake up from the soft shake, Sasuke shook harder with his eyebrows furrowed and a frown on his face. Instead of waking, the boy made a sudden loud snore.

Sasuke continued to shake harder and harder, but the boy would only roll over and lay in a more sprawled out position, apparently comfortable on the cushion he was laying on. Sasuke was becoming more annoyed by the second. His fears were gone and decayed, now replaced with frustration and mild anger. He continued to shake and rattle the boy, but his efforts proved fruitless.

Sasuke finally gave up and went angrily to fetch a bucket of water. He stomped back over to where the blonde was sleeping, with tongue hanging out and everything, and pured a whole bucket of ice cold water from the sink over his head. Sasuke watched with extreme satisfaction as the blonde suddenly let out a squeak and leaped up from his comfortable position and started to sputter and spit water out of his mouth. His strange ears were drenched and dripping water at the tips, his spiky hair was more in his face than before, and the grey rags that clung to him were more dirty and repulsive than before. The boy finally looked angrily up at Sasuke with a look of utter disbelief in his eyes. Sasuke was once again reminded of a summer blue sky.

"Why the heck did you do that?!" the boy practically sceamed into the empty house, making things echo a little bit. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Why the heck are you here?" he replied with a monotonous voice with obvious superiority reeking from his form. Being a kid, he was really trying his best to seem invulnerable and all-knowing even though he was far from it. He felt he needed to act more higher up than this brat that had shown such disrespect to him in his own home. Even if he wasn't from Konoha, surely he must know of the Uchiha family and their status? Even strangers from other countries were aware of the reputation the Uchihas held. This boy should be no different.

A look of realization sunk in on the strange boy, and he glanced around the house from his spot in slight fearof the unfamilair territory. Sasuke saw as he looked suddenly frightened and fragile, wanting nothing but to leave and escape to somewhere safe. The boy obviously forgot his anger towards the pale Uchiha, for now he started trembling with fear and anxiety. Sasuke frowned. _'What's with this kid?'_

The boy turned to him with wide blue eyes shimmering on the verge of tears.

"W-where a-am I?" The fox kid stumlbed through his words with worry apparent in his voice. He started to slowly move away from the Sasuke in fright. Moving backwards in a cautious way, he failed to notice the coffee table and he tripped over it, still shaking. he crawled backwards, tail dragging with him, until he was curled up in a corner of the room, shaken. His wet tail wrapped around him in order to give himself some sort of comfort. Sasuke couldn't tell whether he was trembling with fear or the chill of cold from being so wet.

But, opposed to the belief that Sasuke was mean, he was very kind at heart. With the death of his parents, he naturally wanted everyone to keep and stay away from him so that he could wallow in his sadness and the darkness of his realization. He did well in school, but his soul was still trying to recover as much as it could from the harsh blow on his heart that he had received a mere month before. As much as Sasuke still hurt right now, he didn't want someone else to fear him as much as this boy apparently did now. He was still a bit concerned with the whole fox-turn-human-with-weird-ears-and-tail thing, because he had no idea what the heck happened then, but his first objective was to help the fox, and then send it on its way. Even though said fox had somehow turned into a human with his demi-form's parts.

Sasuke's black eyes softened, and he slowly approached the boy, not wanting to frighten him and give him a reason to run away. The blonde cringed from him with his ears dropped in obvous discomfort as Sasuke came towards him. He was still shaking slightly, from both fear and the fact that he was wet. Sasuke stopped in front of the blonde fox, leaning his hand forward. This caused the person flinch from him and close his eyes tightly, awaiting some form of blow to the face, or some other form of pain.

When it never came, he blinked open his eyes slowly, not daring to hope he would get out of this without violence. He looked up at the other person who had first annoyed him, and then made him fearful in 5 seconds. He saw the boy with black, black hair and black, black eyes have an extended hand out towards him to assist him up. The blonde at first looked at it confusingly, not completely understanding his help, but the other boy only offered him a small smile. The blonde did't understand completely, but it was obvious that the other meant no harm towards him and wanted to help. So he hesitantly took the other's hand and stood shakily, still recovering slightly. Sasuke stood a reasonable distance from the soaking blonde.

"I guess I'll go and get a towel for you to dry off with. I made tea earlier, would you like some?" Sasuke said a bit abashed. He really wasn't used to giving hospitality for others, especialy now. That was usually his mom's job. But he wanted to do his best for the lost boy. Besides, he was soaking up the rugs on the living room floor. And those clothes were disgraceful to where in his house. If they could be called clothes at all. And that wound was looking a little red.

The blonde stared back at him a little embarassed also. He was completely unfamiliar with this whole ordeal. He was thinking of what he should do. He had never encountered another human in a long time, and he was always taught to fear and avoid the humans. They always had a particular smell that warned him and other animals if they were coming into their lands or nesting areas. Even if this was a ninja village with quick shinobi, the animals always produced an outer spiritual aura that always clearly warned the sixth sense whether or not another was coming. When that animal was clearly warned, it would always masterfully blend with the trees until the other was in distance enough to get a smell of. Normally, he would stay deep within the forest to not encounter the people living in the village, even if they seemed to have no interest in him.

"Demo, what's...um...tea?" Naruto stared curiously back at Sasuke. Sasuke looked back at him in confusion. He didn't know what tea was? Who _didn't_ know what tea was? Well, apparently this boy, or he wouldn't be asking him. He was, afterall, a _unique_ person. Sasuke was now absolutely positive that he didn't live in the village.

"Um...well, it's...heated water with leaves that give it some flavor, I guess. That's what my mom said." The whiskered boy only stared back as his response left his lips, even more confused and curious than before.

Leaves? Humans used leaves in their water? And they _heated_ the water? The blonde was almost so tempted to laugh. It was itching its way up his side, and he dis everything he could to hold it back. But honestly. Humans were such funny creatures. He had never heard such things that went on in the forest nest, where animals of the same nature and companionship would gather to converse. Other creatures would often speak of how horrible the humans were sometimes. They would hover together at twilight in the near dark, just as some of the last rays of the sun stretched over the sky. They would whisper and speak of how the people would kidnap animals and skin them for their meat. Then they would make clothing out of their furs and make sure that they suffered hell before they died. Scary stuff like that sent most other animals shaking with fright and running to their burrows in fear.

But he wasn't like that. He was well aware of his second form. He had actually been quite daring before, and went beyond the border lands of the forest sometimes in order to watch the humans in their daily lives. He was hidden somewhat, and watched as they children played and how they wore sandals on their feet and ate strange things that weren't rabbits. They ate plants and for awhile everything was strange and amusing to Naruto. Though he never told the elder forest creatures, he had always enjoyed watching the contentment among the people of the Hidden Leaf Village. They never seemed dangerous to him.

But leaves in their water was unheard of. Noone in the Deep Nest had ever heard of such things. The river in the Eastern part of the forest was cool and clear and cold, perfect for quinching any thirst. Why would they want to heat it? Especially when it was so often hot and humid outside due to the forestry?

Sasuke, getting tired of the blank look on the blonde's face, decided to leave and grab a towel and some tea on his own. He was still not tall enough to reach a lot of the towel cabinets, so he had to grab a stool to hoist himself up. In this time, he thought a bit about his new and strange guest. The blonde was so terribly strange that he had almost been afraid of him. Not that he looked intimidating or anything, just so different from him and everyone else. It was frightening, but when he noticed the boy's fear match his own inner tormoil, he knew that there was nothing to be scared of. In fact, it was almost immediate how his doubt melted away.

With a small smile upon his lips and a dry towel in hand, he returned to the living room to find the blonde looking oddly at the television set, cautiously putting his nose near it to take a sniff, ears erect with curiosity. He warily put his hand out to touch it the flat surface of it, blue eyes blinking rapidly at the odd feel. Sasuke watched on, half amused and half puzzled at his strange actions. When he heard Sasuke return, he turned toward him with wonder clear in his eyes.

"What is this?" He asked.

"You don't know what a TV is?" Sasuke replied. Sasuke never really cared much for the TV, since he had always been completely focused on his ninja training. But it soon became obvious that Naruto knew nothing of his world. He had a suspicion that this was the case, but he wasn't totally sure. After looking again at the blonde's auburn ears and tail, along with the obvious negative expression to having any knowledge to what a television set was, he was sure that the blonde had stumbled upon a new demension altogether. Sasuke frowned in thought.

The blonde was all so new to this. There were so many unfamiliar smells and so many unfamiliar things. There was nothing like this back in the Deep Nest, or anything at all in the forest surrounding Konoha, to which he had ever been. In the back of his mind, he remembered some of this, back when he was a part of this kind of life, but those memories have long been locked away in his mind. Instead he favored the life of living free and in the wild. He had made this decision when he had first realized his second form. He then, even at that young age, chose the forest peace and acceptance over the harsh judging of humans. But still...it was all fascinating. The things, the foods, the communication, and especially the raven haired boy that had yet to announce his name. When meeting others, the normal way to greet another animal in a friendly way was to touch noses and smell the other in order to get a feel for what the other was like.

But the fox has watched the inhabitants of Konoha for a long time now, and he knew that that was not how people greeted eachother. They performed the weird motion of bowing, which he has never done. So, he turned from the weird box set that sat in front of him and faced the almost feminine looking male that was in front of him. When he spotted the towel in his arms, he realized again that he was soaking wet and terribly cold. His curiosity had temporarily stopped his focus on his poor condition to allow his mind to wander freely. Now that he noticed his poor state, he saw that he was shivering and terribly wishing to cuddle with the other foxes. Sasuke apparently noticed this and gave him the towel to dry.

"Thanks..." was the fox's soft gratitude and he aggresively tried to get his skin dry, and then moving to dry his ears and tail which were thoroughly soaked through.

Sasuke watched him struggle to dry around the rags on him and then left the room to fetch him clothing. He went to his room, assuming that they were the same sizes, though they might be a little bit bigger on the blonde who was a little smaller than he was. He picked out a black shirt with the traditional Uchiha symbols on the back and some black slacks, and some green boxers. When he returned, he found the blonde licking his tail which Sasuke automatically associated with a cat. It was kind of cute in a way. _'He's still really weird though...'_

"Here. Put these on." Sasuke handed the clothing to the blonde, which said fox took with a look of puzzlement on his face. What were these? More rags like he had worn long before? His look must have been relayed to Sasuke in the question. Sasuke once again had to remind himself that the boy knew nothing. With a sigh, he took the clothes back from him, an action which again earned him another confused look from the blonde.

"Come and sit on the couch. I guess I'll put these on you." Sasuke motioned toward his black leather couch in the living room. Naruto again looked at it in wonder and did as he was commanded, moving toward the sofa and sitting on it while beginning to play with the throwing pillows placed on there. After Sasuke calmed him down long enough, he began to strip the damp blonde of the rags clinging to his skin. While he wasn't embarassed to do this, it was strange that he had to do this to another person. While Sasuke busied himself with changing the wet rags for the shirt, he decided to question the creature in front of him in order to find out what he was in the first place. A name sounded a good way to start.

"So, what's your name anyway, dobe? You show up here and I don't even know who you are. Don't you know that's kinda rude?" Sasuke said this quickly while scowling at the blonde. He was just fitting the shirt over his head and pulled down on it roughly to get it on, meanwhile frustrating the blonde in front of him.

The fox pouted at him, eyes furrowing together in annoyance. "Noone told you you had to take me in your weird wood house thing." At this, he gestured toward the house in general, flinging his arms around while Sasuke was working on getting his raggedy pants off to put on the boxers. "And my name is Naruto, not dobe! So you should start calling me that now, dattebayo!" Naruto blurted out, obviously insulted by Sasuke's nickname toward him. "And who do you think you are? Going around, calling others names!" Naruto started squirming around as he said this, and received a sharp tug on his ear from Sasuke in order for him to keep still. Naruto yelped at the light pain in his ear and sent a nasty glare toward the raven, who ignored it in favor of his own glare which was still being perfected for its coldness.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke, and you should remember it as well." Sasuke spoke with irritation clear in his voice. Now, he discovered a new problem, as it became obvious that with the tail there, he wouldn't be able to properly fix the boxers or the slacks on the blonde unless some sort of hole was fixed there. Sasuke got up and sighed in irritation. This Naruto thing wasn't even in his household for an hour yet and he was already getting on his nerves. Naruto seemed completely oblivious to the tail problem though, and continued to silently fume at Sasuke's arrogant words. They didn't take well to him, apparently.

Sasuke looked again at the hopeless situation of his favorite pair of boxers that would have to bear a hole in order to be able to fit Naruto properly. After cutting the right hole in the boxers to force Naruto's tail through, and the extreme and comical situation of trying to show Naruto how to put on the other clothes, they sat around the living room table to enjoy some nice jasmine tea that Sasuke had to reheat. Sasuk also had to rebandage the leg that the fox had hurt earlier, which was strangely already half-healed and looking much better than it did before. Sasuke chose to ignore this and turn his attention back to Naruto who was giggling at tea for some reason. Naruto shared his thoughts on the silliness of having leaves in heated water, to which Sasuke apparently didn't understand, and Naruto drank the relaxing substance with some delight in the way it tasted.

"Man, these weird clothes feel strange on me...I'm so used to having my fur during the cold times."Naruto said with a frown on his face, squirming in the clothes that he had received from Sasuke moments ago. They were itching him, and they were nothing like the fur that he wore on his back every day. His fur was nice and silky, as his ears and tail were, and he was not used to having something so uncomfortable on. Honestly, how did the humans move in these so easily? It was simply uncanny. A flash of lightning and a rumble of thunder filled the sky outside, and the rain continued to pour, hitting the roof in a soothing way.

"Well, I'm so sorry you're uncomfortable. But I couldn't really let a dobe like you disgrace yourself by walking around in torn rags." Sasuke replied smartly. Naruto pouted and crossed his arms over his chest in hope of retaining some of his pride. He glared hotly at the raven who seemed to not be able to withhold a smirk.

_'Now we're getting somewhere...'_ Sasuke thought with excitement building in him. He was wondering how to question the blonde on who he was, how he got here, what he _was_ exactly, and all that other stuff. He had his thoughts on what Naruto might be. Sasuke was thinking that maybe Naruto could be some great spirit that lived in the forest, and was wounded and came to Sasuke for healing and the need to return home safely. Or maybe he was a messenger fox rom a distant land that had come with some message to some great being, and was able to turn into a half-human form for communication. Or perhaps he was a young god of mischief who wanted to play harmless pranks on the nearby villagers. The list could go on and on. Sasuke was excited about it, and he was finding it hard to repress a shiver from going down his spine at the mere prospect. He was 8 afterall, and his imagination was vast no matter how depressed and brooding as he had been in the past weeks.

Naruto continued to glare at him as he watched Sasuke sip his tea politely. He took this chance to completely look over the boy in front of him even though he had already done so before he passed out on the street in the rain, and again when he was in the house. But Naruto really couldn't get over how this other boy looked. He never noticed him or anyone like him before when he would peek at the village from a little ways away. He black hair framed his pale face pefectly, even though some of the baby fat still lingered prominently. His eyes were strangely beautiful, though Naruto never took much of a liking to black, he certainly would now. What bothered him was how they seemed to look like open windows, empty and lost. He didn't interpret these things at the time, but he felt a shiver crawl uncomfortably up his spine as he looked into the void-like eyes. He couldn't say that he liked them too well.

"So..." Naruto was startled out of his thoughts by Sasuke's words. "Why are you here?" Sasuke eyed Naruto with wonder. A flash of hurt went through Naruto, though he couldn't really understand why. Did Sasuke want him out of his household already? Was he really that much of a nuisance to the people and creatures around him? Naruto looked down in his lap sadly. Sasuke noticed his expression and quickly corrected his mistake.

"No,no,no...I didn't mean it like that. I meant...well, what are you exactly? And how did you get here?" Sasuke asked with an eagerness in his eyes. He was really curious about the smaller boy across from him, and he didn't want to drive him away. There was a type of aura around the blonde, and it was filled with many mysteries and stories, and also a strong type of hidden wisdom that Sasuke was intrigued by. Naruto looked up from his lap in understanding, and he decided that maybe he owed the Uchiha atleast an explanation of why he was here.

"Well..."

_Flashback_

_Naruto had slowly snuck into the normal tree he would have to spy on the Hidden Leaf Village and it's people. He climbed the bark with his claws, though not so delicately or gracefully as most other foxes could have. He always was a klutz. His azure eyes swept over the village before him, and again he was filled with wonder. The humans' lives and the way the animals lived was so terribly and fascinatingly different. Naruto was always curious about some of the things that the humans did. The way they walked, the way they greeted one another, and other such things._

_Of course, Naruto knew that he was like them in a lot of ways, but memories of before he joined the Deep Nest hidden in the forest were so vague because he had been so young and afraid of everything. All he knew was that he was so utterly tired of being alone, so he sought out comfort in the forest, and his wishes for a family were granted. He was still only a small kit with much to learn about the world. But nothing could stop him from causing some mischief now and then. And besides, it wasn't as if he was interfering with the humans, he was just watching. No harm in watching, right? So he went against the elder foxes' advice about staying away from the humans._

_Naruto knew he couldn't stay long though. It was about to rain, he could smell it coming hours ago. But he wasn't discouraged. He would watch them for only a little bit, and then he would return to his small burrow under the sakura tree hidden in the forest. It was an old and beautiful sakura tree, one that bloomed brightly during the spring. It was quite a ways from the Deep Nest that he usually spent most of his time, but he loved the burrow under the cherry blossom tree that filled him with a great peace and serenity when he would lay amongst one of the branches and take in the sun._

_After about 10 minutes of observing the humans and watching their daily routine with wonder and amusement, Naruto could feel that the rain was about to begin it's downpour on the nature and world below. The temperature was starting to drop, and the wind was picking up rapidly. Naruto predicted that this might turn out to be a storm. He should leave, since he hated being wet when he it wasn't necessary. He liked going swimming in the nearby river once in a while, but rain was something that he enjoyed from inside the burrow where he was dry. Little droplets were beginning to platter on the ground and trickle his fur, and Naruto decided that he must leave and run quickly back to his home to avoid being soaked. _

_As he made to leave, he suddenly caught onto another scent strongly, and alarm was suddenly being shuddered from him. All of his kitsune instincts were screaming for him to leave and run, but he reacted far too late,for as once he dropped from the tree he was lying in, a monstrous dog appeared in his vision. It had a studded collar around its neck, and its muscles showed well. The animal must have caught Naruto in its vision, because it quickly turned that malicious face toward him and snarled dangerously. Naruto was beginning his first escape panics, as he watched the hungry eyes of the dog in front of him eyed him carefully._

_The air seemed to stand still, and neither of the two animals moved. Naruto was trying to think of the best escape way possible withoout tearing his eyes away from the dog before him. He had heard about these dogs...this wasn't a nin-dog, it was a hunter dog. They were trained to follow the scent of and hunt other creatures in the forest and kill them to bring them home to their masters. This had to be one of them, and Naruto knew he was the prey that was to be killed and brought home to be skinned and used as a fur coat for the humans' cold days. Naruto must have missed the scent of the other canine because of the coming rain. It was easy to miss a scent in the rain, especially if your guard was down._

_The rain poured harder, and the dog was now growling intently at the fox. Naruto's fur was prickling at the atmosphere of danger. He was scared shitless, even Naruto was able to admit this to himself. But he wanted to live. This desire was strong. He obviously wasn't going to get past the creature, so the only other option was to turn and run in the other way: into Konoha. So he sprinted towards there as fast as he could in order to save his life. The canine soon followed after him with pacing speed. There were nearly no humans out of their living areas, so he was able to avoid any conflict with them. He turned corners as fast as he could, splashing in the puddles that were there. He ran anywhere, no longer caring so long as he got away from the monster trailing him, and almost catching him several times._

_They were entering a somewhat deserted area, where there seemed to be noone around. Naruto was panting heavily, and was trying his best to get away from the dog, but it was persistent, and finally it clamped its sharp teeth around the fox's hind leg. Naruto let out a pained whelp, as the dog tore his flesh back and forth within its mouth, as if trying to disconnect his leg from his body. Naruto turned to scratch the dog with his claws, and the dog tossed him with his mouth over about 3 feet in retaliation._

_Naruto landed with a painful thud on his side, and tried crawling away in desperation. His hind leg was bleeding terribly, and it throbbed with extreme pain. He could feel some tears leave his blue eyes, and could feel the dog coming after him again._

'I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die...'_ Naruto chanted in his head over and over in panic and despair that he was to die at the mercy of this animal, and he could feel a strong pinch in his chest as he thought of what little he was leaving behind. He was only a little kit, and he was terrified of death. He could feel the dog tearing at his leg again, vicously tearing his skin apart. Blood was dripping from the dog's mouth, and Naruto just wanted to die now, for the pain was becoming too much for him. _

_Then, suddenly, from deep inside him, he could feel a deep and powerful energy come from inside of him. A power that was ancient and malevolent, and long forgotten. Naruto felt an unbelievable burst of energy sprout from him, and a strong red flare emerged from him, and the energy blasted the dog away, who yelped at the astonishing attack from the fox. Naruto collapsed, exhaustion pouring from him. As soon as the dog recovered, it trotted away limping, apparently having enough of the rough treatment._

_Naruto just lay there as the rain began to batter him away, though he didn't even regard it. He didn't have any idea where that strange ability came from, and he didn't know if he should be thankful for it yet or not, since he could very well die from laying there too long. There was absolutely no people around, so he felt that he should be safe for now. He never even thought of how strange it was to have all of these man-made houses and no humans living in there. Naruto was alive now, and he was determined to make it. He struggled with everything he had to get to his feet, his hind leg throbbing terribly and Naruto just wishing that the dog might have finished the job of discarding it to save him the pain. He spotted a nearby shop that seemed to provide some shelter, and he limped his way slowly towards there. It seemed to be taking an eternity just to get there. The corners of his eyes were beginning to darken as he stumbled his way towards the shelter, and he realized he might not make it._

_He was becoming very tired, and wanted nothing more than to go to sleep where there was no pain that could tear you apart. Just as he was about to reach there, his wounded leg hit a rock, and he fell, without the will to get up again. He just lay there, letting darkness consume him slowly. Then, what was left of his instincts let him know that there was something standing over him, and looking at him below. Naruto took what energy he had left to look up at the boy, no longer filled with fear as he realized that this was a human. _

_He thought of how beautiful the boy looked standing there, before he let darkness completely devour him._

_End Flashback_

--

A/N: There's the end of chapter one. I hope everyone enjoys this, and reviews are nice!! Also, congrats on Naruto Shippuuden, and Ch. 343. Sasuke kicks ass! Although I doubt he's gonna automatically return to Konoha...He wouldn't be an asshole if he did, and we can't have _that _can we? .

Later.


	3. Storm of Pain

**_SilverKyuubi says: _**Hey guys! Here's chapter 2. Thank you all again for reviewing. Naruto Shippuuden episode 4 is supposed to come out today, along with the new manga chapter 344. I wanna know what happens with the whole Sasuke vs. Orochimaru deal. Sounds interesting, ne?

Also, something has been called to my attention that I need to resolve. Many have said that there are fast updates. Let me just say that this is only because I have written the first few chapters already! They are posted on MediaMiner, and I am putting the chapters up a little at a time on Please don't run away from this fic if the updates begin to slow up after the next couple of chapters. Support from all readers are appreciated.

**_Pairings: _**SasuNaru (main), others eventually. Guys! Tell me who else you want as a side couple. Just don't suggest anything yuri please...I'm into the boy x boy themes, not girl x girl. I'm straight, so it's understandeable isn't it?

**_Warnings: _**Yaoi. Actually, a lot of the more adult themes aren't going to be for a while. I have it mostly planned in my head though.

**_Disclaimer: _**Me no own Naruto and co. Me and Masashi-sama just had ramen for lunch and discussed how I can borrow the characters for my own twisted ideas, but this plot is mine.

_**Thanks to: **_

**_Silvernow10_**- Well, is this a good sign or a bad sign? _-looks hopelessly around-_

**_Moondancingwolf_**- _-blinks- -stares- -blinks again- _NANI?! _-passes out momentarily-_ I would never dream of writing about Sasuke and Naruto going at it when they're 8!! No,no,no,no... They probably won't realize that they're even in love until they're fifteen! And that's miles away in my mind...

**_Em-chan 01_**- I know! Foxy Naruto is adorable! I wanted to draw a picture to go with this fic, if only I did't suck so bad at drawing anime...

**_Savelove_**- hmmm...yeah, I'll explain the whole fox-changing thing in future chapters. Don't expect too fast updates though...it's only because I already have a few of them written. I'm currently working on Ch. 4.

**_TehGlompingKitsune45_**- I suppose that it fits your penname, ne? _-grins-_

**_KV5 Egypt_**- You're a master at buttering people up, aren't you? _-smiles sheepishly- _well, it's working on me!

**_Darkangel_**- Yeah...but once again, please please PLEASE don't expect these fast updates to continue. I already have the first couple of chapters writen! I don't want everyone to run away because they might slow down a bit later on...

**_Kamori_**- Naruto-chan is always cute. _-winks-_

**_Dark Toy_**- Ack! Beware, the evil fangirls! Oh no! They're crowding around Sasuke again! _-Naruto growls and pounces- _Hehehehehe...

**_Silversyren_**- Yes, the evil dog attacked Naruto-chan. But Sasu-chan will take care of all his bo-bo's!

"Talking"

_'Thinking'_

_**'Telepathic Thinking'**_

Enjoy Chapter 2!!!

0o0

_**My Kitsune**_

_Chapter Two: Storm of Pain_

0o0

_'This class is so dull...it's not like we haven't done these things already. What's the point in reviewing?'_

These were the thoughts running through Uchiha Sasuke's mind at the time. Iruka-sensei was making them all review on the things that might be on the graduation exam tomorrow. They were all reviewing the finer points on getting the transformation right, and making sure that they all knew how to properly execute a clone. Hand signs were being gone over, and positions and stances were drawn on the chalk board behind the brunette teacher that had the warm yet firm voice as he spoke to all of the pre-genin in his class.

Iruka was someone that Sasuke had a respect for. He was a normal chunin that was very kind to him and all of his students. But Sasuke couldn't help but become impatient a lot of the times with the man. He supposed it wasn't the scarred man's fault that the raven was eager to learn so much more than what he was learning now, Iruka was supposed to merely teach the basics afterall, but he _was_ a genious who picked up on things faster than the other students. He wanted to be able to become stronger than this level...he felt as if he was being compared to these losers all the time. Call him arrogant, and maybe a bit selfish, but that was how Sasuke Uchiha was.

Sasuke continued to sit in his seat with his chin resting on his hands, with his elbows resting on the table in front of him. The nearby females and future kunoichi started to swoon and giggle around him, completely ignoring Iruka's lecture. Sasuke narrowed his eyes in distaste as he listened to the others around him. Those fangirls sure gave him hell when they wanted to, it was terribly annoying. But it was unavoidable, and _impossible_ to tell them that he wasn't interested now and never would be. That was the part that he hated the most. He was someone who liked to keep to himself a lot of the time, and his brooding nature apparently attracted females like moths to a flame. No matter how rudely he spoke to them, or how many times he denied them their wishes, they still persisted. This was one of the things he could never understand. The female mind was much too complicated to comprehend. Atleast they never followed him back home...

Sasuke stared straight ahead with a completely stoic look on his face. He was beginning to wonder if it would be so bad to tune Iruka's voice out since he had no interest in listening. He never slacked off on anything, but he wouldn't mind following the example that the boy sitting in front of him was setting. Said boy in front of him began to breathe on his own drool, causing a somewhat loud slurping noise. That was Nara Shikamaru from the Nara clan. Their family specialized in shadow techniques. Shikamaru had his normal hair in a spiky ponytail, with his head buried in his arms to try to catch some Z's. He seemed to be sleeping well too, with all of the drool coming out of his mouth. Sasuke grimaced at that.

Still, sleep sounded good. He had slept so soundly last night and he was one of the most reluctant people in all of Konoha to get up that morning. Sasuke thought back to how snug he had been in his bed, all cuddled up in the blankets and pillows. Even though summer was still around, it was still always a little cool at nights, and Sasuke never bothered to turn on the heater at night. Still, he had been so warm and comfortable, dreaming his life away blissfully without a care in the world, with no nightmares to bother him and nothing in the whole world could have disturbed him then. Sasuke's eyes began to droop as Iruka's words began to muffle by his drowsiness, his head tilting slightly forward in his hands. How he longed to be back there in his bed right now, so snuggle and warm in the arms of-

"Can you anwer the question Sasuke?" Iruka asked from across the room.

Sasuke was suddenly very awake and aware of his surroundings, Iruka's voice bringing him back from la-la land. Sasuke blinked a couple of times, finally registering the fact that Iruka had asked him a question...and he had no idea what he just said. Uh-oh...despite the fact that he hated the fangirls and the teachers complimenting him on him being one of their most valuable students, he never liked to be caught off-guard on anything, including a question, and Sasuke was silently berating himself inside his head for letting his thoughts drift away. He quickly let his eyes settle on the board that Iruka had been writing on with chalk before pausing to apparently ask Sasuke the question. Sasuke quickly looked over at what was written to see if he could guess what the question was and answer it correctly. He had a reputation to uphold.

He quickly saw that Iruka-sensei had drawn a picture of a hand seal on the board. It was mainly one of the most popular seals, where the two fore fingers were pressed together and the lest fingers were interlocked, making a gun-like hand position, in other words the sign of the tiger.

"It's Tora." Sasuke said immediately with a calm and confindent voice, hoping that the sign was what Iruka had been referring to. He hadn't wanted to wait too long to answer, or it might seem like he was indeed in la-la land, and he couldn't allow that. He had to uphold his family reputation of being alert and precise in everything. Sasuke looked as Iruka's expression held praise, showing to Sasuke's relief that the Tora sign had been what Iruka had been referring to.

"That's correct Sasuke. As usual." Sasuke mentally sighed in relief and his muscles relaxed the tension that he had never known had been there before. He closed his eyes in silent thanks, and the girls all chattered in excited murmur about Sasuke's genius mind. But then, anyone could have said that. Everyone knows what the Tora sign is, so the girls could have been praising anyone else who knew. He rested his chin again on his interlocked fingers. Just tomorrow, and he would be a genin. He was not worried about the graduation exam. The Uchiha was more than positive that he would be able to pass with ease. Then he could have a jounin sensei who would train him for individual skills, and he would learn and gain great abilities and strengths so that he could achieve his life goal.

Finally class let out, and Iruka-sensei had told everyone good luck for the graduation exams tomorrow, and then all of the students left the academy excitedly, all eager to go home and have families waiting for him to give them dinners and tuck them into bed. Sasuke always grew a little depresed when he thought about such things, and he would always feel that small twinge of jealousy when he saw parents waiting for their children to come to them so that they could go shopping or go home.

Sasuke's down-turn in his mood made him delay his trip home, so after he left the academy, he went towards the small wooded harbor bridge that usually made a stop for small fishing boats and canoes. He always went there when he was younger and really sad, so he went there again. The sun was setting, and it was a magnificent view, with the red and orange rays washing over the land and lake below it. Sasuke walked towards the end of the small wooden plank, and sat down with his legs dangling over the end, barely grazing the water below.

Whenever he looked into his reflection there, he would always see is nii-san looking back at him. Their similarities were nearly uncanny. Sasuke hated that fact more than anything. He didn't want to be anything like Itachi. He _was_ nothing like Itachi, and he never would be. Still, no matter how far he had to go, he would avenge his clan. He would gain the power necessary to kill his nii-san, and he would never feel that tearing ache in his chest again.

As Sasuke's dark thoughts continued, he never realized how much time had passed until a cooler breeze past by his shoulders and a shudder raked his body, startling him out of his thoughts. The sun was nearly set now, its last rays casting over the horizon. The raven looked into it a long time, merely enjoying its warmth.

_**'Sasuke...'**_

Another shudder went up Sasuke's spine, but it wasn't from the cold breezes passing. Suddenly, everything seemed to slow down, and sounds seemed to dim until nothing could be heard and his mind could only focus on the sounds that he was waiting for. He knew what he was waiting to hear, and somehow, he had been waiting for that sound ever since he came to this small harbor. And then he heard it. It was faint, but it was as familiar as the village itself.

It was the_ thump, thump_ of small footsteps moving across the wooden plank towards him. It could barely be heard, but Sasuke knew it was there. It was softened and sweet, and all the time comforting. He waited for him to be by his side...

His obsidian black eyes suddenly met with deep ocean blue, and a gentle thought caresses his mind.

_**'You didn't come home.'**_

0o0

Sasuke stared blankly at the boy in front of him as he finished telling his story of how he came to his home in the Uchiha Estate. He looked softly at the boy, understanding his troubles somehow. Naruto was looking down in his lap, suddenly quiet and shy, and unable to look Sasuke in the eyes, not knowing what reaction would come out of the boy from hearing such a story. The fox thought that the nice Uchiha boy would think he was lying about every word coming out of his mouth. He didn't know what telling the raven about how he came here and his insecurity would gain him. He could very well just run away from here and just listen to what the elders at the Deep Nest told him about keeping away from humans. He was raised most of his young life in the Deep Nest, and was told to stay away from humans because they were terrible creatures who tried to hurt you on a whim. But Naruto felt that he atleast owed the boy about his age an explanation, and so he gave one.

Sasuke looked at Naruto again, asking a question which he wanted to ask since he met the boy a few hours ago. "And...what are you exactly?" Sasuke's heart sped as he asked this, excitement filling him once again.

Naruto's head shot up as he looked hard at the Uchiha with wide eyes. _What am I...?_ Naruto remembered asking himself that very question for the longest time. Even after he joined the Deep Nest, it had taken a year or so for the other animals to accept him because he had not been like them. Sure, he looked like them and hunted like them, and smelled like them, but the animals of the forest always have a hidden wisdom. They know things even though physical facts aren't always present. They knew that Naruto was not like them completely, and this made them wary to trust him, even at such a young age. They were unwilling to rust him fully becasue he was human. And Naruto knew he was human, or something like them anyway, but he had been willing to push away his human part for the other animals so that they might not push him away like the humans did.

He kept wondering what he was for the longest time until he never bothered anymore and decided to push the question away, he thought it no longer important.

But now, the question was risen again, and he had to surf back through unwanted memories and insecurities, just to answer an uncertain reply.

"I...I really don't know..."

Sasuke looked at him strangely. "What do you mean you don't know? You have to know what you are." He stated in a factly tone.

Naruto glared at him, a sudden irritation and anger rising up in him. "When I say I don't know, I don't know! I know I'm like the other foxes in the forest and I know I am like you as well! But I don't know what I am!"

Sasuke stared at him again with annoyance and slight disappointment in his eyes. This kid was just like everyone else. Answering stupid questions and saying stupid things like 'I don't know' and whatnot. And here he thought the fox boy was like some type of spirit or god!

"Are you sure you're not a sprite? Or maybe even a ghost? Or _something?_" Sasuke's scowl deepened as the words came tumbling out of his mouth. He was becoming really dissappointed. He was hoping that maybe if this boy was maybe a spirit or god, then maybe he could contact the dead or something. Or maybe have told Sasuke something about...about his parents, and family, tell him whether or not they were doing okay, or what heaven was like. Or if his parents missed him, and maybe he could have found out what the good things his father said about him to his mom when he wasn't around like she said his father did.

Tears were beginning to well up in his eyes as his thoughts continued. This boy...this boy who was seemed so different at first turned out to be so similar to everyone else around him. Lumps of flesh that took up space and tried to give him hope when he felt that he just wanted to die. He was glarely icily at the Naruto, who was starting to feel a shiver go up his spine at how dark and terrifying Sasuke's eyes were. He had a bad feeling about those eyes when he first saw them, they made him uncomfortable. But now, they looked so empty and angry that it was starting to give the fox doubts about his choice of staying here longer than he should have. What did he say, anyway? All he said was that he couldn't place what he was, why was the Uchiha getting so mad at him?

Sasuke abruptly stood from his seat at the living room table, shoving his chair back, his hands slightly slamming the table. He glared at Naruto some more, his lips pressed together in a thin line. He knew he was probably being unreasonably angry, especially since Naruto had no idea about his troubles and the suffering he had to endure over the loss of his family, or what his thoughts were at the moment, but he didn't care. Sasuke felt anger build, though it wasn't for Naruto. He was angry at himself. Pains were making themselves known again, another gift from reality, but he couldn't find it in himself to feel sorry or regret what he was about to say.

"Get out."

With those words, and a heated glare of anger and almost hatred, and Naruto's world came crashing down again. Memories from long ago, not as long as it seemed, but still a few years that Naruto had been intent on forgetting, resurfaced. It was vague, but became more prominent as the whiskered blonde continued to stare at Sasuke in shock over his words.

Sasuke glared some more. "Didn't you here me?! I said get away from me! What's wrong with you?! You stupid idiot!!" Sasuke screamed more and more at the blonde who sat there dumbly. Sasuke didn't know he was screaming. Sasuke couldn't see anything at all. He couldn't feel the anger that he had felt moments before, only blinding, white hot pain that was scorching his mind. Red. Red...blood...the blood of his mom as she lay ontop of his father, death radiating from them. He just wanted to be left alone, and continue to sink in his mind where he could give up hope so that he wouldn't be hurt anymore. Naruto didn't mean to hurt him, noone ever does, but they always do anyway. He wanted to be alone. Tears dripped down his pale face.

Naruto continued to stare as Sasuke began to shed tears, looking but not really seeing. Sasuke's words stabbed at his heart more then the raven would prbably ever know. The things Sasuke said, and the same phrases that had come out of others' mouths before, began to repeat over and over in his head, like a broken record. All of the noise in his mind began to drown out, he rain, Sasuke's screaming and sobbing, everything was fading until he could only hear and see what his torturous mind wished for him to see...and feel.

_"Get away from me you little monster!"_

_A slap across the face and the image of a child running as fast as he could away from his attacker. Her sister had been killed in the fight with the demon Fox. Blood had scattered the area, and screams had been torn from her throat. The woman who slapped the blonde would never forget how she cradled her most precious little sister in her arms as she gasped for the last of her breath._

_The little sister was only 15, and a chunin. Someone who had a beautiful smile and a beautiful heart who had aspired to be a medic-nin who helped the wounded and sick._

_She would never have her dream._

Naruto had been terribly confused and sad that day. After the woman had slapped him, he had run home to his apartment and began crying into his pillow. He fell asleep sobbing, with nightmares of how cold the woman's eyes had been.

_"What's wrong with you, demon?! Wanting to know how to learn how to kill more people?!"_

_A kunai thrown and sinking into the arm of a young, young child with blonde hair. A strangled cry erupted from his mouth. He had stopped to watch some jounin ninja spar in training on his way home from the store to buy some food. He had to throw some of it away because it had been tainted by his blood._

_The jounin who had thrown the kunai had lost his lover. A lover who had always waited for him to come home, who he had planned on asking her to marry him soon and offer her a daimond ring. His lover who smiled beautifully as the firelight was cast over her skin after a night of lovemaking, her eyes filled with love for the person she had held in her arms._

_He was never able to even tell her how much he loved her before she died in a hospital bed from a serious wound to the chest. _

Naruto went to the lake and washed his wound, tears streaming down his face. The blood mixed and mingled with the water, so that when Naruto moved to look at his reflection, the blood made it look so that his image was that of a blood-thirsty monster. He didn't sleep that night.

_"I'll kill you, I swear!! I'll do this village a favor by ridding of you!"_

_A young girl, probably a young teenager, ran towards him with a shuriken in hand as Naruto had sat at the harbor of the lake. She had grabbed his hair and dunked his head under the fresh water, intent on drowning him, while she stabbed and cut his back repeatedly with her shuriken, her left hand keeping a firm hand on the back of his head as the 5-year-old blonde started to struggle and scream in pain._

_She had gotten into a fight with her parents on October 9th. She had wanted to go on a higher ranking mission with her genin team, but her parents wouldn't allow it. She had been angry at them, and started saying things to them that she normally wouldn't have done with a straight mind. Things like how they couldn't trust her, or think her weak, or never let her do anything that other shinobi got to do. She had thrown some vases around, breaking them before heading to her room and slamming her door._

_Her mother had tried to comfort her and make her understand their want for her safety, but she didn't listen. Instead, she told her mother that she hated her, and her mother left with a sad look on her face._

_Both of her parents had been killed in the fight against Kyuubi. She felt ready to die when she found out. The teen had never been able to say that she was sorry for her actions._

The Sandaime Hokage had to prevent the girl from continuing her actions by knocking her out. He just happened to be strolling along when he had heard the strangled screams. There were other people about, but noone had moved to help him.

Naruto was only five, but he had already felt such an immense pain that he didn't know how to even stop it. When he got home, he rushed to the bathroom to empty his earlier meal in the toilet. He didn't shed one tear. He had gotten used to this treatment. It was his life so far, so he was starting to build an immunity to the hating looks and aggressive hits that he received. And the occasional near-death 'accidents' that happened.

_"Don't play with him. Stay away, or else he'll kill you like he killed your big brother."_

_Icy stares, like the coldest winter nights, when the snow would fall so horribly that you could hardly see the hand in front of your face._

_"He killed our Yondaime. He should die as well."_

_Evil whispers, unspoken hatred, untold anger, and the hidden pain. Naruto didn't even know why he was being condemned._

_"Bakemono!"_

_More tears..._

_"Demon!"_

_More hatred..._

_"Why won't you die?!"_

_Infinite emptiness..._

_"Get away from me!"_

_Until Naruto wondered if maybe he died would the villagers be happier. If they cared so little of him, why _wasn't _he dead yet? He was truly uncared for, and unwanted._

_Noone would wonder where he was if he didn't come home._

_"We don't want you."_

_Noone would care if he was in trouble._

_"Noone needs you here."_

_Noone would grieve if he disappeared from this land. Or this earth._

_"Get out! Go away!" A mother who lost her husband._

_"Damned demon! Get out of here!" An angry store keeper._

_"Get out, get out, get out, get out, get out, getoutgetoutgetout**getoutgetoutgetout...**"_

_"Get out." Sasuke who looked at him with such pain and anger in his eyes._

_"Didn't you here me?! I said get away from me!" Sasuke who seemed to snap in his mind, tears building and anger seeping out and lashing at the blonde unmercifully. Who just moments ago had treated him with kindness, and had bandaged his wound when he could have left Naruto out on the streets to die in the rain._

_"What's wrong with you?! You stupid idiot!" Tears spilling out of bedroom eyes, crawling its way down the Uchiha's cheeks._

_**I don't know...**_

The pain was ripping at Naruto's insides, becoming more unbearable as he stared at the raven in front of him blindly.

_**I don't know who I am...**_

Naruto knew that Sasuke was still screaming at him, because he could see his pale lips moving rapidly, and he could see the force behind it. Strangely, even with his enhanced hearing, he couldn't comprehend anything coming out of his mouth. He could only feel the horrible clenching in his heart, and in his abdomen, and how it was overwhelming to him.

_**I don't know what I am...**_

He could still see tears falling down the pale boy's cheeks. They seemed to keep coming up in the frustration he was venting out towards Naruto at his disobedience to his demand of leaving his house. But Naruto couldn't hear him. _'I don't know what you're saying... How do I know what you want me to do?'_

_**Have I done something wrong?**_

A flash of lightning filled the room with it's white light.

_**I don't know why I'm here**_

Sounds were slowly coming back to him, very faintly at first, but still growing.

_**I don't know what I've done, or how to fix it.**_

He was beginning to hear the pounding of the rain on the roof.

_**Why am I alive...?**_

"Naruto."

The blonde snapped into focus at the sound of his name, clear and prominent, ringing in his mind and he turned his attention back towards Sasuke in front of him. His face was tear-streaked, and his eyes looked emptier and more frightening than ever, pinning the fox with his dark and emotionless gaze.

"Get out." Sasuke's voice was empty, and his dreaded eyes looked far older than the face they were placed on.

With all of the fear he had held before in his past, he never felt more frightened than he did then. Those eyes and that voice brought up more memories and emotions at once than Naruto was prepared to deal with.

The fox had never obeyed a command as eagerly as he had done that night.

The thunder roared.

0o0

A/N: _-sigh- _And there's chapter 2. I'll post chapter 3 in a few days...maybe as soon as I finish chapter 4. _-sticks tongue out-_ Sometimes, it takes some real motivation to want to write this stuff.

Later.


	4. Soul Bound

**_SilverKyuubi says:_** Once again, thanks for the reviews. I appreciate the fact that a lot of you guys support this fic, and it makes me really happy. It's an unexpected happiness I get when I check for reviews. So thanks.

**_Pairings:_** SasuNaru (main), _goddammit I don't know who to put as side dishes! Tell me in your review!!!_

**_Warnings:_** Yaoi, shounen-ai, all that good stuff.

**_Disclaimer:_** I don't know Japanese. How can I own Naruto? Masashi-sama lended the characters to me, dammit!! I swear! police drags silverkyuubi away NOOO!!!

**_-Thanks to:_**

**_LeperchaunPimpSlap_**- Ack! Please don't drown in your depression! Can you share the cheetohs, though? _-grins-_

**_SaveLove_**- I apologize for your confusion. It will be explained throughout the chapters, I promise.

**_Misty's-Mystic-Rose_**- ?? Uh...a chapter in the fanfic? _-sweatdrops-_

**_Em-chan 01_**- Glad you like the chapter. And Sasuke won't be a meany for long.

**_NemesisMuse_**- Yes, poor Naruto-kun...but bad times don't last forever!

**_DarkAngel_**- I'm glad you understand Sasuke's POV right now. _-smiles-_ He is going through some rough times.

**_Dark Toy_**- Please don't be depressed...it'll get me sad that I wrote the chapter this way.

**_Fishlet_**- Thank you!! _-roses for the fishlet- _I'm glad you like it.

**_Silversyren_**- He'll regret bigger problems later on, but at this age, it's sort of 'forgive and forget'.

**_SoSickOfNyQuil_**- I love your penname. No, the spanking will come later on. In the good way, of course. _-wink-_

**_SilverSnow10_**- But if you kill me, how can I update? Besides, I would never do that to naruto-chan. But bad things happen to everyone, right?

**_Urufu-Misora_**- Will update ASAP. I love angst too. _-beams-_

**_RaitenKitsune_**- Will do. Hey, what does 'Raiten' mean? You got me curious...

**_Naruko the Big Hero_**- I'm sorry you feel that way, but it's not really supposed to be 'everything's hunky-dory'.

**_Nusku_**- Sasuke will always have that foolish streak in him. But remember that he's only 8 and going through a lot.

Enjoy Chapter 3!

0o0

**_My Kitsune_**

_Chapter Three: Soul-Bound_

0o0

It was about two weeks after that encounter with Naruto.

In that time after the fox had run from his house and into the storm, Sasuke had been unusually quiet. He never talked to anyone, and he never bothered to try to answer some question from the class. He was breaking himself off from the world, and the villagers and ninja who lived in Konohagakure were beginning to take notice to this depressing change in the last heir to the Uchiha clan.

It was common before for the Uchiha's to be private about everything, and a bit unwilling to socialize with others. They were the strongest clan in Konoha, so their arrogance was a bit more than normal. They kept up appearances, and always demonstrated their abilities as some of the best. The kekkai genkai running through their veins was always feared, because it was very powerful. And when the elder genius brother of the next line of the Uchihas slaughtered his entire family save one, there was no questioning its strength. So, it was common to believe that after his family's death, Sasuke would want to remain in his thoughts and mind a lot more than before.

But the elders of the village were beginning to become a bit concerned. Sasuke left immediately after class, almost as fast as possible, not giving his teachers a chance to talk to him. He almost held no emotion on his face, hardly even annoyance at others around him. He did his work perfectly, not a flaw in anything. This caused some of the elders in the council to want to maybe have him skip a grade or two to see how well he performed in his classes then. But his teachers insisted that he stay in the classes as long as possible. They were hoping that he would gain some social activity with the other students in the academy, and perhaps get over his family's death by having someone special and important to have along the way.

But the Uchiha didn't wish for such things. His 9th birthday was around the corner, and all he could think about was getting stronger and strengthening his abilities as a fighter. Gone were the memories of the good times he had with his beloved brother. Gone were the fun times he had with his classmates, and the praises he enjoyed receiving in his classes for having some of the highest grades. Gone was his will to do anything useless that he had done in the past.

Gone were the times he would walk in the door to his house and see his smiling mother there greeting him, with a fresh snack in hand.

Gone were the times he would look forward to bringing his excellent grades home to his father in hopes that he would acknowledge him.

Gone were the times he would ride on his aniki's back and they would talk about random things, or when Sasuke would beg his big brother to take him out to train him on shuriken weapons use, or other types of training.

Gone were the times he would come with his mother to town to buy some food and stop to greet fellow shinobi or friends.

Sasuke had to wipe everything away from his mind, or else his memories might get in his way and make him go into depression. With the resolution in mind, he was blinded by the fact that he was already in a depression that was slowly building to a beaking point. However, his mind was filled with determination to do his best, and he felt that his reasoning was not wrong. He wanted to avenge the people of his clan, even if that would make him to last heir to the Uchihas. If that meant that he would have to sacrifice his time for others, then so be it.

Sasuke was currently sitting on the small harbor that he normally came to when he was feeling a little more worse for wear than normal. The sun was setting, and its orangey and flamey glow spread over the water, making it shine brilliantly. The rays that spread over the trees made the whole scene seem completely calm and peaceful, putting the young raven in a nice meditative state.

He loved this...just watching and appreciating some of the things around him without having to think about it. He liked it when his mind was blank, the beauty of nature enough to fill his mind so that thought was unnecessary. A nice refreshing breeze, the warmth from the sun, and orange and pink in the sky, the reflection on the water...and oddly, as beautiful as this sunset was, it had a sad sense to it. There was always that meloncholy feeling that he got everytime he would stare at the sun, watching it go down the horizon. It was as if every time the sun had set completely and would disappear from the earth until the new day, a piece of his own light would start to wither and fade, though never to return.

Some playful shouting nearby drew his attention to the side, where he saw a playground with some of his fellow students and some otehr kids playing on the slide and the swings. Their faces held an innocent glee and happiness.

One Sasuke recognized as Nara Shikamaru. He was known for his extreme laziness during class, and he was often found sleeping during lessons. He had his brown hair in a high pineapple-like ponytail. His face, which normally showed boredom of everything, now held a face of contained enjoyment, a smile graced his lips as he would occasionally laugh with his friends as he swung on one of the swings. Sasuke noted that Shikamaru was from the Nara clan, supposedly the masters of shadows techiniques and other such jutsus.

The one on the other swing was a bit of a chubby, with some black swirls on his plump cheeks. He had a lighter shade of brown hair that was spiked out in two different directions. While he was more chubby in the middle, he was already showing signs of strong arms. He had a gentle smile on his face as he watched his other two friends play. He was Akimichi Choji, from the Akimichi clan of Konoha. Sasuke didn't know too much about them, only that the males were more plump than normal. Sasuke never bothered to look them up.

The last one of the bunch was one a classmate he never payed attention to, because of his gruff and aggressive and sometimes stupid behavior. He had short, spiky brown hair and some strange red triangular marks on his cheeks, which were now spread in a mischiveous grin. His grin showed off some pointier than normal canines. The boy's eyes were slightly slanted in an animal-like fashion. His white puppy was barking joyously near his master. This was Inuzuka Kiba, from the Inuzuka clan. They naturally had a gruff way of life, and they had an obsession with dogs and canines. Thus, their similarities to them.

They were all laughing and having fun. The Inuzuka was trying to make a fool of himself to entertain his other friends, and they all seemed content. A part of Sasuke hated them for some reason. The way they would run, the way they would swing, the way they smiled, the way they looked at eachother, the way they played with eachother, the way their eyes shown...Sasuke hated everything about it. He narrowed his eyes toward them.

They were weak.

Who needs friends, anyway?

He turned away from them and blocked out their laughing. Laughing brought up to many memories. Mainly, of his mother. He loved his mother's laugh and the way she would smile brightly at him when he came home from the Academy. She was so kind to him...and she always told him little secrets when they were alone. Memories of when he was too young to remember. Silly memories she would tell of how she and his father had met, and what she thought about at the time. Things like how cute both Itachi and himself were when they were babies, large black eyes and a nice coat of black hair over their heads. And...

_She smiled brightly and knowingly at Sasuke. Her voice traveled melodiously towards Sasuke._

_"He tells me all sorts of things about you when you're at the Academy. He really does talk about you all the time."_

Sasuke stared at the water in front of him. It was a lake, so it wasn't a clear blue like the sea or ocean was. It was a bit gray, and the pink reflection of the sky on its surface went well with it. A leaf landed on the water, making it ripple ever so slightly. Sasuke's bangs nearly covered his face, and he looked gravely at his mirror image in the water, even though he wasn't really seeing it. He whispered softly to the wind as a small breeze passed by.

"What did you say about me, Otou-san...?" He didn't receive an answer. But then, he wasn't expecting one. The quietness of his situation was finally settling in, and he knew that he would be engulfed by silence for a long time now.

Sasuke picked up a rock, and threw it in the lake, right on his reflection. It was a mechanical movement, one he wasn't entirely aware of making. The ripples of the water on his twin seemed to mesmorize the Uchiha for a moment, and when he got a good look at the way his image appeared, instant anger boiled up inside of him. A type of unaltered anger he didn't know the name of, but was beginning to become more familiar. The eyes looking back at him weren't his own, but that of his older brother. Itachi. Cold, unmerciful eyes that looked at him with disdain. He knew Itachi only left him alive because he was unworthy of the other end of his blade. His aniki told him himself. And Sasuke...Sasuke realized that he hated him for that. He hate Itachi for making him feel weak...and hated himself for being weak.

Sasuke stared back into the water, though now it was his reflection facing him with a cold and guarded stare. The raven shook his head, as if to get rid of the dark feeling that was building within him. He didn't like the somewhat new and dreadful feeling of hate that had been in him ever since his family's death. He remembered to have claimed to hate Itachi before, because he had been getting more attention than him. But Sasuke knew he didn't hate his brother then. He was angry at him, sure, who wouldn't be? And upset that his brother probably didn't care enough about him to spend time with him, instead going on missions. He was upset at his brother because he loved him, and felt betrayed by him when he would make him feel like a nuisance.

But now, his brother had left him with the task of avenging his family. A terrible and unforgiveable task that wasn't meant to be resolved through words of peace. Itachi had taken away his loved ones. And had made him feel horrible for taking his family for granted. He had given Sasuke an unbearable sadness, something that could never be returned to him. There was a hole in his heart now, one that made Sasuke feel as if it could never be filled again like it used to be, and the only way the last Uchiha knew how to fill it up enough to give him a reason to live now was that hatred for Itachi.

His brother had told him to hate him to survive. Sasuke realized that hating him was the only way for him to survive now. Itachi had taken away his first reason to live in exchange for a horrible and ugly second. It was unfair, but it was his only option. He would get strong, and then kill Itachi. He didn't care what happened to him afterwards. But he refused to die before he completed his goal.

With that resolve now firm in his mind, he stood from his place on the harbor, and turned to make his way home. He stopped when his attention once again turned to the three kids he had been observing earlier, his back to the sun as it was nearly fully set. Their parents had arrived to pick them up from the playground, and they were saying their last farewells as they departed from eachother. Small waves and smiles, and promises of tomorrow's next play.

Sasuke watched them solemnly. He used to play over there too. His aniki had sometimes come with him when he was about 5. And his mother sometimes too. He never spent a whole lot of time with his father...he had always been busy, so it was mainly his mother that had raised him. As he continued to stare at the three children go off in the directions of their home, Sasuke knew his earlier thoughts weren't true.

He wouldn't mind a friend.

But those people wouldn't understand him. He could never pretend that his pain was gone or not there, because it was. And it would never go away completely.

Shaking such pointless thoughts from his mind, he began to make his way home. He walked slowly, the sky darkening into a deep and comforting blue and black. Stars were peeking in the sky, glinting beautifully. Sasuke took the time to enjoy the stars. He really loved looking at them. They were so far away, and gave Sasuke a longing to join them for some reason. Not as in death, but he always wondered what it would be like to be beyond the skies of earth and into the black and blue space with the stars. Sasuke caught a shooting star fly in his vision, but he didn't bother making a wish. Wishes were pointless. It was a silly idea parents put in children and they didn't give anybody anything. Sasuke knew that now.

He finally arrived at the entrance to the Uchiha compound. He walked through, though the silence was engulfing him as always. Even after nearly 2 months without his family, the raven wondered if he would ever adjust to the silence around him. He never thought he would miss noise so much.

Sasuke walked across the road, finally reaching his house. He was almost near the entrance when something caught his eye at the foot of the door. He couldn't see too well, because of the twilight darkness, but he could definitely see that there was some sort of weird thing on his doorstep. With a grimace, he thought it might be another gift from those weird girls at the Academy. It wouldn't be the first time one of them left something at his door to express their girly admiration or whatever it was that ran through their minds. Normally he would just throw it away.

But this one was a little weird. They were large leaves tied together, as if the person who wrapped this up didn't have anything other then the leaves in the forest to do this properly. Geez...who the heck would have to wrap up a gift in two large leaves and a piece if string anyway? But sure enough, Sasuke was curious as to what was inside. So he picked it up, and noticed it was firmly wrapped, and was made in a quality-like manner. He opened the door and went inside, taking off his sandals and turning on the lights. He continued to stare questioningly at the odd, small package as he continued towards the kitchen and set it on the table.

It wasn't too big. Only made to hold something small in it. Sasuke caustiously picked it up in wonder, and shook it slightly to test its weight, and maybe get an idea of what was inside. There was a light raddling sound, and a scraping from being rubbed against the leaves' plastic-like surface. It didn't feel too heavy. Not heavy at all actually. He undid the string, again wondering who had left such a weird package on his doorstep, and he looked inside.

In it was a necklace. A pretty peculiar one at that.

It wasn't too long, probably made for a male. It was a simple black string, and it held a very small blue org. About an inch from the orb on each side were onyx chips that glinted against the light. It was very beautiful, and the blue sphere realli caught Sasuke's attention. It wasn't a saphire, this Sasuke knew, but it held a very strange qaulity...as if it were a crystal sphere with something ocean-blue inside. Not water, just a type of air. In his wonder, Sasuke reached out to pick it up from the leaves. When his fingers came in contact with the small blue-like stone, it gave off a soft, but bright glow. This alarmed the Uchiha for a moment. And then he felt a peculiar emotional wave wash over him. It was as serene as a gentle flow of water rolling over your skin, only it was as if the whole experience was in a non-physical fashion. A sub-concious wave...

This shocked Sasuke for a moment, and he abruptly shoved his seat back and stood away from the light of the orb, but then its aura calmed until it held a very faint glow, and when Sasuke boldly reached out to touch it again, it stopped. And so did the strange feeling that came with it. Not that it was unpleasant, just unfamiliar. As if there was a barrier in his mind that kept himself locked inside, like a privacy room. And now that barrier was gone and someone just entered without his knowing. A peaceful presence, but an unknown one all the same. This startled Sasuke, but he wasn't as afraid of the possibility as he thought he would be.

Sasuke stared oddly at the necklace again. _'What the heck just happened?'_ He shook his head, as if to clear his thoughts and rid himself of the last of the strange feeling. As fast as it had come, it disappeared. He could have been daydreaming for all he knew, and just starled himself awake. Sasuke contemplated who might have given him this strange gift, but for some reason, he already knew.

Scared blue eyes, a strangely tanned body, shocking blonde hair, weird whisker marks, auburn fox ears and a tail...it was the stranger who at first came to his streets as a fox and then turned into a...um...well, _something._ A hybrid looking thing. Sasuke never did find out, he realized he had been too emotional that day and drove the blonde out of his house. He realized this the day after Naruto left, and the Uchiha had felt sort of guilty for it, but he didn't know anything about Naruto. Apparently the boy lived in the forest, and he never thought he would see...or even think about it. If he couldn't give out an apology, then there was no use in worrying over it.

But there was no explanation as to why he knew that the necklace was given to him by the fox-child. He just _knew_, and he also knew that this knowledge came from that strange feeling he received from the orb. The logical part of him wanted Sasuke to throw it away for good and keep it away so that he would never have to think of such useless and petty things again. To concentrate on getting stronger and not deal with complicated things for now. He had enough complications already, and he didn't want something so trivial to get in his way. Besides, no matter whom it was from, it was another strange gift that someone decided to leave on his doorstep without his permission or any want at all.

But another part of him, a part that worried less of real world things and his problems, was stronger, and it was the part that made him accept the necklace and fix it around his pale and small neck. The string was a bit long, and Sasuke knew that when he was older it would fit snug around his neck. The orb gave a brief low glow before returning to its strange blue hue. Another feeling washed over him, a feeling quite similar to the one he just received moments before, but in a much more calming fashion that put Sasuke's thoughts at ease for once. Sasuke felt as if there was a deep serenity that came into his soul, and was for the moment carrying his burdens so that he would have a small moment of peace.

Sasuke knew this gift was special, and he accepted it. With this acceptance, the mass tension that was in his shoulders and body left almost instantly, and he suddenly felt blissfully tired. A nice tired where everything was just fine and he had nothing to worry about for now. Maybe later, but for now he could rest. Although he felt exhausted now, he knew that this...thing was a sign that something changed in his life and would never be the same again. But he had a feeling that maybe it would be a good change for once. He smiled dreamily at the thought. The feeling that someone else was in his mind was back, like that barrier was being intruded by someone who wasn't supposed to be there originally. But it was okay. He knew who it was. And he accepted him into his mind willingly. It was strange letting someone else in there, but at the same time, he didn't mind.

At least he wasn't alone.

The raven decided he could skip dinner tonight. He was suddenly so tired...his bed was more welcoming than food. So he changed his clothes in for night wear, layed out a futon, and snuggled up under the covers, a comfortable smile on his face as he hugged his pillow close to him. He touched the orb that now hung around his neck, and again, he felt as if his burdens were gone for now. He silently thanked the fox-boy, knowing he would be able to see him again in the very near future. He didn't know how he knew, but he didn't want to question it now. He wanted to sleep, as he had never wanted to after the death of his family. Blackness began to cloud his vision, his last thoughts were of stray, ocean blue eyes and a small smile.

_'Thank you',_ Naruto's voice whispered.

For the first time in nearly two months, Sasuke had a peaceful and dreamless sleep.

0o0

Naruto smiled cheekily from his place in the tree as he looked at the now sleeping raven through the window. _'I guess this means we'll be having to get to know eachother now.'_ At first, this prospect might have been scary to the blonde fox, but now he thought these words with a smile gracing his lips. He felt a warm feeling course through his body as he watched Sasuke sleep. He didn't remember ever feeling this warmly to a person.

Naruto's gift to Sasuke would probably be considered to some, unreasonable, and a lot to give, but not to Naruto. After those couple of weeks, it had given him plenty of time to make his decision. Even if he was a young kit of no more than 8 human years, he had a feeling that he wanted this. Naruto's smile brightened as the raven slept blissfully, his whisker marks stretching with his wide grin, and his eyes closing.

After the night that Naruto had visited Sasuke, he thought that he would never want to see him again, or any other human for that matter. He had been reminded of what little memory he had of his time with them. It had been 3 winters ago when he decided that he no longer wanted to be a part of the humans' lives because of the way he had been treated, and the way he had felt. The people who lived in Konohagakure had made it clear that they didn't want him there among them. The blonde didn't undertsand why at the time, though now he knew, and then he thought that if he could leave, everyone would feel better. He didn't know another solution, and he was terribly afraid, but he felt he had no choice.

At first, when he had entered the forest, he had no idea how to feed himself, take care of himself, or where to live. These were the things that a 5-year-old would overlook, naturally. But Naruto was too scared to go back to the village, as much as he was familiar with it. He was terrified in fact, of the forest. He had gotten lost in seconds. He had not yet discovered his other form. It was a couple of days of trying to find berries on bushes, and peeling apples from trees, and trying to find shelter with a large hole in the bark of a tree.

Naruto promised not to cry, or to give up. He tried his best to avoid the other people of the village when it was necessary for them to go through the forest. They had hurt the poor blonde terribly, and he was unwilling to take that abuse from them again. They had never discovered his chakra signature, so they never really got in Naruto's way. They had apparently forgotten about him, or simply didn't care. Later, Naruto would decide that it didn't really matter.

He had stumbled a lot in the forest, getting many wounds and scrapes on his knees, legs, and arms. But his scratches had always healed remarkably fast, and he learned to endure and withstand them. And to know the forest some. He had found the place a wonder, and he felt very welcomed by the forest's peaceful nature. The animals didn't come near him, but he never felt alone in this place. He felt something powerful and comforting surround him in his time there, and he felt that he never wanted to leave.

It was one morning when he woke up to find himself in the state of a very small fox. He probably looked like he was a mere 2 weeks old from how small he was. Naruto didn't even realize it until he had fallen over a tree branch and a bit of firey, auburn fur caught his sight. He had adjusted so well and so fast that he didn't notice walking on four legs, or being able to practically _see_ with his newly advanced senses. It had driven him into a panic at first. He didn't know if he was dreaming, or what that hell happened. But after locating others like him, it suddenly wasn't such a big deal. Change isn't such a big deal when you're that young, as long as it doesn't involve pain.

So he had remained in that state, his new life coming onto him so suddenly he hardly ever thought about his life before. He had made friends with other fellow kitsunes like himself, and though most of the elder ones knew he wasn't like the rest, they allowed him to stay with them for a little bit to prove he was harmless. Animals were highly protective over their kits and children, and they didn't want to risk something disrupting that protective balance that they had matured, which is what to expect. However, none of the other foxes who lived in the Deep Nest had the heart to put a baby kit out into the forest without atleast showing him the ropes. So they taught him. How to run, how to hunt, how to spot a predator when one's nearby, how to recognize different scents, how to find a safe place to live, and everything else.

The Deep Nest was simply a great gathering place for the foxes and some other animals very far into the forest where it was at its most natural state without the humans' influence, changes, or inhabitance. It was a large community where the foxes made great burrows for themselves and their young. The kits would play, and the foxes always helped eachother. Sometimes they gained assisstance from other ally-like animals. During the time that Naruto had come here to learn and live amongst the other foxes, he was never allowed to actually have a home here. There were no other mothers who were willing to take in the strange kitsune who seemed to have a much different aura about him then their own.

That was when he had found his home under the sakura tree. It really was a beautiful thing. The way the petals would cascade down to the fresh and lush grass in spring and flow into the nearby stream that was there was simply breathtaking. And so he had made his own burrow there, and that was where he had lived. It was about his 7th human year that he had regained interest in the humans and had started to go and spy on them when he had spare time. During that time, while the elder foxes agreed Naruto was strange, he was harmless, and so he lived freely and played freely among the other foxes. They had warned him to stay away from the village for fear of predators, but he would always make an exception to go and see them.

He had felt a longing toward his former home whenever he would visit. He had remembered mingling with them in crowds, and knew they were his rightful species. Perfectly natural for him to want to return to that place. And he felt a sort of abandonment as well, which prevented him from wanting to completely return to his former home. No that he wasn't happy where he lived in the Deep Nest, it was just that acceptance from his original people and home was all he really wanted deep in his heart. It was something he longed for, which was why he kept watching. Memories of hostility prevented him from wanting to be part of his former home again, but his wish for acceptance always brought him to watch the humans.

He knew of his hybrid form as well. He never used it in front of the other foxes, fearing that some sort of resentment or banishment might take place should he reveal the form to his friends, so he kept the strange secret to himself.

It was with Sasuke that he had felt a part of his dream come true. He realized that the boy might have been going through some problems of his own when he had arrived at the raven's home, but even in that state he had accepted Naruto: the fox, the human, the creature in between the two species. Sasuke had taken him into his home, had treated him, and had shown kindness that he had only felt among his demi-form's kind. It took a while for him to come to the decision that the small compassion that the Uchiha had shown Naruto was a big deal to the fox. The small interaction meant more to the blonde than any other.

Sasuke was the first human to do this for him. And so Naruto felt the act should be returned, although some might think he went overboard.

The necklace that he had chosen to give Sasuke was a rare kind of charm. The orb starts out with a simple crystal ball, very small and light, easy to fasten on a strong piece of string. But the thing that gives it its eery glow is something else all together.

It was a piece of Naruto's soul.

The forest is very spiritual and knowledgeable altogether. And there are certain places where these spirits can gather. These places are where rituals can be performed. These rituals though, do not involve chanting, or candle-lighting, or any symbol at all. But Naruto went to one of these certain places where one soul could drag out a piece of his own so that he could place it inside of the small crystal orb. To humans, this ritual can be used to foretell the future, because even a piece of a soul can hold certain abilities when contained correctly.

In this case, giving the crystal to Uchiha Sasuke meant binding his soul to him. A piece of a soul to lie in the young heir's is a great honor, no matter who the person. Through this, Naruto bound himself to the raven, to serve, obey, and practically be _owned_ by the child. And Naruto was okay with it. When Sasuke accepted his gift and wore the necklace was when he accepted Naruto's servitude, whether he knew about it or not. The fox didn't know how long he wished to be in that slavery to the Uchiha, but he felt a connection to him. And so he took the step of binding them in an unbreakable bond. Literally. He wanted an excuse to be near Sasuke. And so he made one.

Naruto watched one last time at the sleeping heir, before sliding down the tree and rushing off toward his den under the sakura tree. Probably for the last time. But he was not sad. He would still visit the forests, though he may lose his fox friends by the end of this. That made him frown, but he promised not to regret his decision. He was grateful to the foxes, but now it was time for him to learn about the things he needed to know on his own.

He gave a wry smile as he shifted into his demi-form, auburn fur glistening under the moonlight, azure eyes glowing as saphire diamonds.

0o0

AN: Chapter 3, for all to see. Thanks again for the reviews. I'm sorry if the last chapter made anyone upset, It wasn't intended to.

Thank you guys a lot for the support, and a shout out to the second part of the Sasuke-Orochimaru fight. Again, I don't think Sasuke's going to return to Konoha, though I haven't the slightest idea where he might go after this. And does anyone think Kabuto was in on the whole 'Let's try to kill orochimaru' thing? He always seemed a bit hesitant to follow Orochimaru's orders...and the way he looked made me suspicious.

Later.


	5. Surprise!

**_SilverKyuubi says: _**I'm back guys! Thanks for the reviews. They are appreciated. I enjoyed watching Naruto Shippuuden, though I don't know if I like the fact that it's kinda drawn out. _-pouts-_ Go Sasuke!

**_Warnings: _**Yaoi, shounen-ai. If your looking for a quicky, you won't find it here. If boy x boy love offends you, there's a back button somewhere on the screen.

**_Pairings: _**SasuNaru (main), KibaShika (thank you Coriel-leigh!), NejiGaa, KakaIru (thank you Fool4Sasuke33!)

**_Disclaimer: _**If I owned Naruto, Sasuke wouldn't have left poor Naru-chan. And then it would have been a crappy story if I was in control of it. So thank god I don't own Naru-chan, eh? But I still borrow him from Masashi-sama!!

**_Thanks to: _**

**_Review Band_**- Thanks. I hope you enjoy reading it. _-grins-_

**_DarkAngel_**- Yeah...I never totally got that part. I didn't know if it was in his head, or reality. Sasuke's a confusing kid sometimes.

**_Darksone_**- Thank you! I hope you keep reading!

**_Hanagumori_**- Hmm...the thought never crossed my mind that it was Sasuke in a henge. You're right, it was necessary. But people didn't really seem to get that at first...

**_Empress-Dragon_**- I want Sasuke-chan to come back too! _-cries_- Thanks for reading on my other account!

**_Cutegerbilofdeath_**- _-blinks-_ NO HUGS!! Actually, I used to be a big anti-hug person, but I'm not anymore. _-grins-_

**_Nusku_**- Why, thank you! I love good insights into Naruto's and Sasuke's lives! It's so fun to butt in!

**_Dark Toy_**- Yeah... Ihave no idea where it came from. But a reviewer on my other account mentioned that they had a similar situation happen to them. I thought that was very cool.

**_Urufu-Misora_**- Well, you're just gonna hafta wait and see, huh? _-grins-_

**_InuAce_**- Gracias!

**_EmeraldWolfChild_**- Yes! I will continue! This story isn't going anywhere.

**_SilverSnow10_**- Mabe Sasuke WILL do naughty things to Naruto...maybe even a little sooner than when they are older. _-wiggles eyebrows-_

**_SoSickOfNyQuil_**- NO! Naru-chan will be _my_ friend. _-pouts-_ hehe...just kidding. Naru-chan's for everyone!

**_Heaven's Valentine_**- More angsty...more happy...a mix of both I guess. I can't tell you if Sasu-chan's going to leave! It would ruin the plot!

**_Mediocre Fascia_**- Here's your update! Enjoy!

**_Fool4Sasuke33_**- I have seen My Neighbor Totoro, and I know what you mean. Don't worry about it. The part I was reffering to is way a ways away from the first Naruto Shippuuden episode. No need to worry! Have you read the manga though? If not, check out Naruto k?

Enjoy Chapter 4!

0o0

_**My Kitsune**_

_Chapter Four: Surprise!_

_0o0_

**'Sasuke...'**

_Another shudder went up Sasuke's spine, but it wasn't from the cold breezes passing. Suddenly, everything seemed to slow down, and sounds seemed to dim until nothing could be heard and his mind could only focus on the sounds that he was waiting for. _

_He knew what he was waiting to hear, and somehow, he had been waiting for that sound ever since he came to this small harbor. And then he heard it. It was faint, but it was as familiar as the village itself._

_It was the _thump, thump _of small footsteps padding across the wooden plank towards him. It could barely be heard, but Sasuke knew it was there. It was softened and sweet, and all the time comforting. He waited for him to be by his side..._

_His obsidian black eyes suddenly met with deep ocean blue, and a gentle thought caresses his mind._

**'You didn't come home.'**

0o0

Sasuke smiled softly, an unusual light coming into his normally dark and empty eyes as he stared back into dazzling saphire diamonds that met him. Sasuke always took the time to admire Naruto's eyes...they seemed to just draw you in, make you think of warm summer skies, or maybe a under a deep ocean where all you see is a magnificant blue.

They held him where he was, and he was always reluctant to turn away from them. They had reassured him for so long in his already troubling youth, and he never took it for granted.

He swore not to take anything he held dear to him for granted ever again.

The fox that stood beside where he was sitting on the harbor. The sun's last rays reflected wonderfully off of the fox in a rapture of burning auburn fur and flaming orange.

The sun's light reflected off of the kitsune's eyes, and gave them an eerie and warm glow. Naruto was truly a treasure to Sasuke.

"Yeah, I know. I just needed some fresh air and time to think." Sasuke responded to the concerning thoughts that had caressed his mind earlier. Even after all of this time, it still send shivers down his spine, because the mind was still so sensitive without its normal barriers. But then...those boundaries had been put down about years ago.

You'd think the raven would be used to it by now. It was still foreign to him when he felt emotions that were not his own, and having strayed thoughts pass through his mind when he least expects it...and when he most expects it.

Through their minds, the connection between himself and the fox was more intimate, and that in itself is a hard accomplishment for the Uchiha.

Naruto cocked his head to the side in half-curiosity, half-understanding. His ears perked one minute, then lay relazd against his head the second. His lovely tail was swishing behind him.

**'Anything you want to talk about?'**

Sasuke contemplated this. The things that were running through Sasuke's mind were nothing new to Naruto, and they had talked about it plenty of times in the past as well. The talking was done for him, and yet it seemed as if he would never be able to talk enough about his intentions and bad memories.

But talking didn't change anything, though it always did take pressure and stress off his chest. But he didn't want to talk about it now. He wanted to be in a warmer territory. '_No, not right now. Come on, let's go home.'_

With these last thoughts sent to the whiskered animal, he stood from his seat and proceeded to walk towards home, Naruto following at his heels without question, feet padding quietly on the ground as he went. He offered comfort when he could, and never questioned when it wasn't wanted. He never wanted to push Sasuke, so he always kept quiet.

Naruto thought about his master. The fox knew he would feel better after he took his bath and ate dinner in some comfy pajamas. Tomorrow were the final exams afterall. Naruto was excited for Sasuke.

He would be there to greet him after school at the Academy, like he always did, but this time he was considering showing up in human form. Maybe noone would recognize him, and he was sure the raven would be happy if he did. It would be his graduation!

Uchiha Sasuke would finally be a ninja like he always wanted, like was expected of him. Even if he didn't like the fact that being a ninja was expected of him. But the fox knew that Sasuke was happy about being one too.

Darkness had finally reached over the land of Konohagakure. Children were coming in from playing, mothers were serving dinner to their families, fathers were watching a night show with the kids, shops were closing down, and the people were settling into a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere after a hard day filled with work and military activity.

They had finally reached the Uchiha compound. They went inside the Uchiha main house and Sasuke slid off his sandals. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, relieved to finally be home.

Naruto had once asked him if he would prefer moving out into a new and roomy apartment, to start over and get away from the memories. But Sasuke had declined, knowing that the memories kept him going toward his goal.

As much as it saddened him, he liked being reminded of the good memories. It was the bad ones he had trouble getting rid of. But he had stubbornly stayed, against Naruto's suggestions.

The Uchiha moved a hand to his left shoulder, massaging the tense muscles there. Despite the fact that he may have been a little more open with the other students than he was before, he still didnt't like them all that much.

He just wanted to be left alone, and others didn't seem to understand that. So he had to glare and give off a 'don't-touch-me' aura to get them to back off. Who knew that a day of glaring could get one so tense?

Sasuke stretched some more before moving toward the bathroom, preparing to take a bath. He looked over his shoulder to see that Naruto had shifted back into his normal form, shocking and beautiful blonde hair with the most amazing eyes.

He wore his normal attire. He had a short sleeved fishnet underneath an undone white, Chinese-styled over shirt. It held the Uchiha crest on the back of it, and smaller ones on each shoulder. He wore normal black pants that ended at his shins. His fox ears were poking out where normal human ears should be, giving him a cute look. His tail was swishing behind him.

Naruto cocked his head to the side and smiled at him

"Watcha want for dinner?" Sasuke stared blankly at the question. Actually it didn't really matter what Naruto made, because his cooking was really good.

"Onigiri, I suppose." Sasuke replied blandly. Naruto's smile turned into a pout. Sasuke felt a smile begin to tug at his lips.

"But we've had that for the last 3 days!! Can I make ramen tonight, pleeeease?" Naruto's voice took a shrily turn. He started waving his hands around in a dramatic gesture to show his displeasure at the topic of more onigiri. Sasuke resisted the urge to plug his ears.

"That stuff is so bad for you. You can't eat it all the time." Naruto's eyes squinted until they looked closed, and his face took on the expression of his cute demi-form. A bigger pout formed on his lips and he crossed his arms in a childish gesture. Sasuke sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. But try to hold off on the salt on mine." The blonde's face seemed to light up immediately, and a wide grin split his face. He danced off to the kitchen.

Sasuke shook his head at his friend's antics. The fox's obsession with ramen would be the end of him, Sasuke was certain. And yet as he thought this a small smile graces his lips.

He turned and went upstairs toward the bathroom to prepare for a nice, luxurious relaxation in hot water. He let the bathtub and went to set out his night clothes. He heard Naruto singing some lame song in the kitchen below.

_'That dobe...'_ Sasuke shook his head in disbelief. His friend really was an idiot. The raven smelled delicious waves of food coming from the room below, and decided that having him around wasn't all bad. Even if he wasn't much of a singer...

After a nice relaxing bath and an over-enthusiastic Naruto gobbling away his ramen, Sasuke went to bed. He was in a fresh and clean pair of pajamas, courtesy of the blonde fox, and he snuggled into his bed after turning off the lights.

As he lay there adjusting to the darkness of the room, he admitted that he was a bit nervous of the Academy exams. He was confident that he would pass, of course, it was just that he was excited, but in a good way. It took a minute to realize why.

He had someone to celebrate that moment with.

Under the covers, a smile graced his pale lips at the thought. He heard the door to his room open, and he turned his head slightly to see the darkened silhouette of his fox friend coming into his room silently. He heard the shuffling of clothes being removed and then soon after felt a very lgiht swish of air against his cheeks, signaling that Naruto was standing right before him.

Sasuke glanced up. Even though it was very dark, he could see Naruto's bright azure eyes blinking mirthfully back at him. He could hear the smile in his voice as he wished him good night. "Good night, Sasuke." Sasuke smiled back up at him even though Naruto probably couldn't see it.

"Good night, Naruto. You're coming after graduation at the Academy, right?" The raven watched as Naruto's darkened form got on the floor.

"Of course. I'll be the first thing you see coming out of the building, dattebayo!" Sasuke heard the reassurance in the fox's voice, and felt a warm comfort wash over him. He let his fingers roll over the small orb hanging from his neck before the peaceful black of night weighed on his eyes and he fell asleep.

When Naruto heard Sasuke's breathing even out, he decided it was time for him to get some shut eye too. He had a surprise for Sasuke the next morning that he was sure he would enjoy when he got home.

The ramen lover smiled at the thought. He glanced once at Sasuke before shifting again into his demi-form. His hands became paws tipped with black fur, and his ears were long and soft, his jaw became more slanted to fit that of a muzzle, and his swishy black-tipped auburn tail flapped behind him. His azure eyes shone more prominently in the darkness.

He crawled into the basket with small blankets in it that lay beside Sasuke's own bed. The fox circled around in it a few times before lying down in a comfortable position, his head buried beneath his tail. He snuggled against the blankets before letting out a yawn and small sigh of contentment.

With that, he fell asleep, his soul feeling at ease once again with his master and best friend.

0o0

The fox thought that maybe he would have a heart attack from how nervous he was.

He was running around, trying to get everything ready for Sasuke.

It just had to be perfect.

He had made Sasuke the best onigiri he could, and several other foods from the more Western culture. He had gotten up very early that morning, before dawn and had set out into the market with some money so that he could go shopping for the groceries and other things he would need.

He had needed to wear a henge over his form so that his extremely abnormal tail and ears wouldn't show. He wouldn't want the whole population of Konoha to suddenly find out about him living in their village. They would break out and have a panic attack, acuse him of being a monster and try to promptly dispose of him.

Bad memories had long since been buried. It had been difficult at first to get over his resentment towards the village for treating him poorly in his early life.

Like an abused dog, it learns how to feel hate and resentment toward the man-animals and the rest of the world, including its own kind. Sometimes that's the only way it knows how to protect itself. If it doesn't close up its emotions and heart, its afraid that something will come in to destroy what little pieces remain after such ill treatment.

But Sasuke and the foxes that he had formerly lived with had helped him get over his fear of the man-animals and all other forms of life that held no threat.

But he knew that the people of Konoha did not so easily forget about the monster that had invaded their home so many years ago. Lives were lost, families had been torn apart, and hearts had been shattered to pieces.

It might have been different had they endured him for many years, but seeing as this was not the case, the pain would only resurface more severely had the villagers had to face him everyday. They could have learned to ignore him, to tolerate him.

But he had been gone for many years, and not yet forgotten or ignored if revealed. And so, as rare as it was to find him out in this state, he wore a henge to cover his peculiar half-animal parts that lingered on his body.

It would have been the first time in a long time that Naruto didn't greet Sasuke in the morning before he left on his way to the Academy, but Naruto had to go shopping.

The steak he was making would take several hours to cook smoke properly, and he needed to get the shopping done early in order to get it in the oven when Sasuke left.

But he had remembered to leave a nice, hot breakfast on the table. Two eggs, a piece of buttered toast, some pancakes, and a glass of orange juice. And then he went shopping.

He had hurriedly put on a black shirt without the Uchiha crest sewed on the back. Wouldn't due well for people to question Sasuke as to why there was a blonde running around with the Uchiha crest marked on his back like some form of property.

Although, in a way, he really was.

His henge was simple, giving him normal human ears and a tail-less back side. His hands were always a little clawed, due to the natural defences he had been born with, and his canines were a little sharper than normal humans', and so the henge covered this animal evidence as well. He still retained his light whiskered cheeks though. Sasuke said they fit well with him.

After the sun had just risen and before the last Uchiha had awaken in his bed, the blonde fox set out to eat a small breakfast before purchasing the items necessary for a nice, luxurious meal and some congratulation decorations.

He had first purchased the steak, and then went back to the Uchiha compund immediately to fine tune it and then put it in the oven and smoker to cook over well so that it would be finished and tender by the time Sasuke got home.

After dressing up the steak, Naruto went to buy the rest of the groceries of food and then some balloons and other things like that. He often did this for Sasuke's birthday, but today was also a special occasion. And then he made the house extra clean, and set everything up so that Sasuke would be happy when he got home.

_'Speaking of which...'_ Naruto glanced at the clock hanging in the living room for him to see. It was almost 4:00...almost time for him to go and meet said raven at the Academy. Naruto's heart was beating rapidly in his chest from the excitement of it all.

He was so proud of Sasuke, and excited that he was becoming a ninja finally. Naruto almost slapped himself. He sounded like a mother fawning over her son. But he couldn't help it.

The ramen lover went a little hay-wire, looking around the house and making sure that everything was perfect for when the Uchiha got back home. He raced around the rooms, fixing insignificant little things, trying to make everything seem alright.

He was so nervous, he felt that if things weren't just right that Sasuke might not like his surprise.

Naruto looked over at the clock again and affirmed that it was indeed time to leave and go meet Sasuke at the Academy. They should be letting out soon, passing those students who have completely graduated from the courses of ninja studies and can now be classified as genin ninja.

The blonde rushed over to the entrance door, looking back to take in his work of the house, checking to see if there was anything he might have forgotten. Seeing nothing, he smiled and sighed, to possibly calm his nerves, and grabbed his black sandals that were sitting by the entry way, and closed the door.

Time to go meet Sasuke.

0o0

The raven had just finished his examination for the entries into genin ninja status. He kept a calm and assured expression on his face.

The requirements for the graduation exam were almost way too easy. He could perform those simple moves in his sleep.

Sasuke looked around the room again, checking for a clock. He spotted one, and saw that the session was almost over.

_'Thank Kami...'_ Sasuke thought with a grim expression on his face. He was so bored now...he thought he might take Shikamaru's example and fall asleep after this stupid and boring speech.

He was seated among all of his classmates, listening to a few of the teachers that authorized over the Academy. The same, boring speech that he had listened to when he had started at the Academy before. The speech that tried to reassure all of the other students who had attended the Academy to take care of their knowledge of the ninja ways, help protect eachother and their country and village, yadda yadda yadda...

Sasuke's dark eyes were beginning to droop slightly. It was only out of reputation that he had managed to stay awake this long. Nobody would want to see their precious Uchiha slacking off, now would they?

He glanced again at the clock before looking at the thing lying in his lap. The ninja headband filled him with a spark of pride, and a little more determination. He was getting on up there...toward his goal. Toward everything that had ever been expected of him.

Being a ninja, restoring his clan, these things were expected of him. But he had wanted these things too. He wanted the empty houses to be filled with laughter and joy again. To have soft and kind smiles be flashed toward you as you passed by down the street, or went to pick up a special cookie from your aunt.

Sasuke shook these thoughts from his head. That would happen again eventually, some time from now. He had to be patient, and maybe his wish would come true.

_'And also there's always him who'll help me along the way.' _Sasuke thought with a slight, but warm smile on his face; something very rare to find. He was in a daydreaming state, and he hardly realized his lips turned upward at all.

" ... and make sure that you always think responsibly. Listen to your intstructors and superiors in the future. You are all young, new shinobi now. There are a lot of responsibilities that will be put on your shoulders, and take care to follow through with them. I wish you all the best of luck!"

The huge applauding that followed the speech startled Sasuke from his bored trance. He glanced up before cringing at the sudden noises that came crashing into his ears all at one time.

The raven had always hated loud noises, though he should probably be used to it, considering the person he lives with. He saw things flying through the air, a sign of how the other students were excited at their graduation. The all clung happily to their new hitai-ates, and flashed them around, showing them off.

He got up out of his seat, automatically putting on his brooding type of mask. No ridiculous show of jumping around in glee, or yelling rapidly. Though, he couldn't say the same thing was happening on the inside.

His heart was swelling with pride in himself. He had finally become a ninja. Someone of great promise for the future.

His heart clenched in his chest more at the knowledge that there was someone to share his excitement with.

Determination coming into his mind, he set out the door of the Academy. He could hear a lot of noise from out there, and knew that the parents and family members had come to congradulate his classmates on becoming a shinobi. A proud shinobi of the Hidden Leaf Village.

His mood delfated a little when he exited the door to outside, where he could clearly see the shining faces of proud parents, heads being ruffled, smiles being exchanged, laughter of excitement filling the area...

He made to move past them all, but something prevented him from moving far.

In a blur of yellow and black, a huge something crashed into him, making him fall backwards and on his ass, the shock and understanding not completely settling into his mind enough to make him embarrassed.

Pure, azure colored eyes were staring-_ glowing_, towards him as Naruto was happily chattering ontop of him.

The people around them turned their attention to the Uchiha prodigy who was lying flat on his back, with a person that they weren't familiar with spiky blonde hair and tan skin talking away ontop of him.

"Oh! Congradulations, Sasuke!! I'm so happy that your finally got your headband! It's so cool. Can I see it? Wow! You know after all that whining and griping you did because you said that the Academy teachers were so boring and you knew all that they were teaching you? And now you got a pretty headband and your not gonna thank them? Now we get to go out in the world and kick ninja butt! Dattebayo!" The blonde raised his hands high up in the air to show his excitement.

When the realization of this situation finally dawned on the appalled Uchiha, he shoved the loud blonde off of him.

**_'Naruto.'_** He thought sharply, his anger and embarrassment making the tone he set in his mind louder than he would have liked.

The ramen lover stared back at him with wide blue eyes and a curious face for one second, before his face stretched in sheepish grin, his hand behind his head in nervousness at his sudden actions.

The raven's eye twitched in annoyance as he watched the blonde before him. Sasuke was using the Uchiha glare on him, which has unfortunately lost effect on the fox over the years. Naruto sat cross-legged while the Uchiha stood over him, glowering.

The people had been shocked at first, to see a strange boy jump the Uchiha prodigy. But after a couple of seconds, they brushed it off as child's play, and returned their attention to their families.

The Uchiha fangirls, however, didn't look as pleased at the whole pounce-on-the-young-Greek-god thing, and seemed a bit more unwilling to just brush it off.

After a couple of seconds at glaring at the blonde, and said blonde smiling back, Sasuke realized the attention was no longer on them at the moment, and he straightened his tense back, offering a hand to Naruto.

Naruto took it willingly, if a bit cautiously, as he was assisted in being lifted off the ground before following the raven through the crowd and towards home. He stayed quiet for a little while, and waited until they were out of hearing range of others before talking to Sasuke again.

"Sasuke! I really am happy that you graduated! That's still a really cool hitai-ate headband." Naruto again glomped the unsuspecting preteenfrom behind and Sasuke once again struggled with the blonde's weight ontop of him, though thankfully he hadn't fallen this time.

"Naruto! Cut it out!" Sasuke hissed toward the fox, releasing the death grip the fox seemed to have had on his throat.

He beathed heavily a few time, tryingt to regain some air in his lungs before turning back to the blonde in annoyance and slight confusion.

"Why were you there anyway? You know you're not supposed to go out in that form unless you feel its necessary." Sasuke looked expectantly at the whiskered-cheek boy, crossing his arms for effect.

Naruto only smiled. "But Sasuke, this _was_ a necessary time to come out! It's your graduation!" The blonde pumped his hands in the air once again in excitement.

Sasuke couldn't help but soften his expression. Nor could he stop the special feeling he got that was clenching at his chest again.

"Hn. Dobe." Sasuke made a show of scowling. He turned around and walked back towards his home in hopes that Naruto didn't witness the pleasantly startled emotion showing on his face.

That idiot would never let him live it down if he saw it...

_'That moron...'_ He thought with affection glowing in his heart.

Naruto was actually supposed to stay inside unless he was in his fox form. He would follow Sasuke around everywhere in said form, and only very rarely would he come into the village in the form of a normal human, thanks to the henge.

It was something that they had agreed on. Naruto would stay inside the confines of their home, and do their best to keep Naruto's true identity a secret. They would be extremely hateful towards him if they realized who he really was...

So when Naruto decided to go out in the village in his henge form, the villagers never recognized him. They always looked at him in a curious manner, as they don't see him often and wonder who he is. Which is the way Sasuke wanted things to stay. He didn't want the fox to suffer what he did when he was a younger child.

It's difficult to keep secrets in a village full of ninja. It's even harder to explain someone who is unfamiliar in the village. But they managed. Since they lived in the Uchiha compound, no one ever bothered them there. It helped keep their secret safe.

To Konohagakure, Village Hidden in the Leaves, Naruto was an adorable fox with amazing azure blue eyes and black tipped feet, ears, and tail. He had been with his master, Sasuke Uchiha, ever since the prodigy was 8 years old. He always followed his master around, only leaving his side during Sasuke's time at the Academy. Even then he kept close. He was often found on the raven's shoulders, or trotting by his side.

To Sasuke, Naruto was his half-fox, half-human hybrid that stayed by his side since the death of his family. He was the kind blonde who had given him a piece of his soul in gratitude of the Uchiha's brief kindness.

He was the one who made Sasuke annoyed, made him happy, made him sad, made him want to cry, or laugh, made him want to be held, made him want to run, made him want to stay, made him want to hate, made him want to love...

There was no question that Naruto was Sasuke's world, and Sasuke had decided long ago to protect Naruto with everything he had.

Sasuke reached his hand up to touch the small orb that was hanging from his neck. It glowed slightly in a soft blue color. He smiled.

0o0

Naruto pouted as he trailed behind Sasuke. He was so sure that he would enjoy seeing him at the Academy today...and he called him 'dobe' again, dammit!

He crossed his arms in thought. He decided not to talk to his master until they reached the Uchiha compound...which was slowly starting to come into view.

When he went out in his more humanly looking form, Sasuke never called him by his real name. If smart people were to put two and two together, they would notice something strange. So Naruto pretended that they were strangers on the few times he went out in this form.

_'Tch. Whatever.' _Naruto pouted some more. But his frown soon turned into a full blown out smile. He was still confident that Sasuke would enjoy his gift.

They just entered the Uchiha estate, and he glanced over at Sasuke with a wicked grin on his face. Sasuke was still so unsuspecting...surely he would be surprised.

Sasuke walked in first. He went into the entry way, and slipped off his sandals. When he walked into the next room with a grinning Naruto behind him, the fox sensed Sasuke sudden stillnes as he looked at the living room.

The room was covered in balloons and ribbons, messily stretching in all directions, all of black and blue: Sasuke's favorite colors. There was a big banner that hung from the ceiling saying _Congradulations Sasuke!_ It had some cheesy drawings on it. There was confetti everywhere.

Naruto looked at Sasuke's back, hoping for a reaction. When he saw his master just stand there numbly, he hopped on Sasuke's back, startling the raven and making him jerk forward with the sudden extra weight on his back. Naruto started chuckling.

"Do you like it?" The blonde said in a happy, but oddly quiet tone, as if he didn't want to scare the prodigy. He took in the Uchiha's expression of wide eyes and a mouth very slightly agape. As that was the most surprise the Uchiha would ever show in a million years, he took it as a good sign.

"Naruto...you-- you did all this...?" Sasuke's voice was very faint, and only with Naruto's extremely sharp hearing could he pick it up.

He smiled and laughed quietly. His grin spread over his whiskered face. "Yup!" He said with a light and happy chirp. He slid off Sasuke's back and turned to face him from the front. "Happy Graduation! You're an official shinobi now!" He strapped a party cone on his head and started dancing around.

Sasuke seemed to have snapped out of his reverie, and looked at the ridiculous blonde making an idiot of himself in front of him. The fox only grinned.

"...dobe..." Sasuke whispered with a small and hidden smile. His eyes were shining slightly.

0o0

Later that night, Sasuke was even more surprised to find such a delicious meal on the table. He had marveled at how tender the steak was, and how wonderful it tasted in his mouth. Naruto hardly touched his food, and kept staring at Sasuke with a gleeful smile on his face as he watched him eat. It made him self-conscious at first, but he understood Naruto's joy.

He would never admit it aloud, but he had been honestly surprised at Naruto's idea.

He knew the blonde was planning something. He didn't know what it was, because his mind was so random, but he knew he was doing something for his graduation anyway. Still...he wasn't expecting this.

He had to first take in the whole scene, and when it registered later at how much work the fox had put into this made him feel truly touched. And happy.

He smiled under the sheets of his bed.

He glanced down on the floor and saw the even breathing of the fox that lay in his basket. The fox would never know how much he appreciated the gesture that had been shown to him.

Sasuke thought about his graduation. They were to be sent to the Academy two weeks from now for the next step orientation. They were to be given intructors to help teach the young shinobi how to fine tune everything, and to teach them. He felt excited. It was his time to shine. _Both _of their times to shine, he thought with a glance toward Naruto.

_'Thank you, Naruto' _He thought towards the blonde. He yawned, and re-snuggled under the warm blankets, letting the good mood of today give him a relaxed feeling. He could hear a faint sound of amusement ringing through his mind.

_'You're welcome, Sasuke.' _Sasuke grinned.

He should have known that idiot wouldn't sleep before he got a thanks.

0o0

A/N: Wow! Thanks guys for all of the reviews! I know the last chapter didn't stay out long, but hey, here's another one to keep you busy. _-grins-_ Just beware! The next chapter might take a little longer, okay?

Again, sorry if the grammer's a little messed up. I'm really looking for a beta okay?

Thanks again to Fool4Sasuke33 for helping out with the couples arrangement. I hope you don't mind that I only chose the KakaIra pairing, ne? Someone else suggested KibaShika, though I might need some help with how that will turn out. O.o How the hell will this arrangement turn out?

Help anyone?

Later.


	6. Not as Planned

**_SilverKyuubi says:_** O.o I am so sorry for taking so long guys. I knew I said the updates would take longer, but I didn't know it would take this much longer. -_sweatdrop_- I am so lazy... And I'm also aware this chapter is much shorter than the others. I'm afraid I have no excuse for that. I've been experiencing a bit of writer's block and lack of motivation. I've got so many ideas running through my head, especially with the new Sound characters that have been entering the manga in chapters 347 and 348. The Sasuke/Sai panel that Masashi-sama put in was a bonus! I think I stared at it a whole minute before moving on. You could tell Sakura was very happy.

A big thanks to my awesomest beta, Kiri aka Fool4Sasuke33. - You were a great help!

**_Pairings: _**SasuNaru (main), KakaIru, KibaShika, NejiGaa

**_Warnings:_** Yaoi, Sai's dick jokes, weird senseis...all that stuff. Nothing you don't like, right:P

**_Disclaimer:_** You think a chick who walks around in her jamies all day and plays videogames/watches too much tv/reads too much manga/surfs the net too much is the owner of Naruto? ... No comment.

_**Thanks to:**_

**_Dark Toy_**- Yeah, now if only we can make him be a less dick in the real thing..._-puts chin in hands-_

**_EternalStar1004_**- The chapters are coming!

**_Aki-_** Naru-chan is ALWAYS kawaii. I just wanna squeeze him! _-fangirl mode-_

**_Heaven's Valentine-_** Aww...where would be the fun if someone found out about Naruto immediately? I do have a select few people who I want to find out about him though. _-wink-_

**_Tenuki-_** I hope you enjoy this chapter then:D

**_Darksone-_** Thanks! Enjoy Ch. 5.

**_Fool4Sasuke33-_** My wonderful beta! _-dances around in glee-_ You rock my world with your awesome stuff!

_**SilverSnow10- **-jumps around with silversnow- _I KNOW. Naru-chan is just so adowable. I wanna stuffed animal like him.

**_SilverSyren- _**As you will find out in this chapter, Team Kakashi minus Naruto are not the only ones there. There's a third member! _-winks-_

**_RaitenKitsune- _**Here's chapter 5 for ya!

**_SoSickofNyquil- _**The screwing part will come later...I find it strange for 12-year-olds to go at it. _-sweatdrop-_

**_Empress-Dragon-_** _-cough- _sorry, I kinda took long. _-hides behind rock-_

**_Nusku- _**Yay! I hope you keep reading.

**_Prima-_** Thanks. I like your name! It reminds me of Threads of Fate videogame. :D

**_Liger- _**...Sorry! I really do try to type fast when I get a chance to.

_**Noali- **-sweatdrop- _Umm...here ya go...?

**_TehGLompingKitsune45_**- I'm sorry for the groundation (my word) and I'm glad you're back! Fluff is good!

**_Blue-Eyed-Blonde227-_** Wow...outside the box? Why can't I think that way when I'm at school?

**_Celestial Moon Dancer- _**Of course! Naruto hardly even knows what he is. It's a mystery waiting to be solved!

**_HalfBlackWolfDemon- _**Thank ya! I have fun writing it.

**_Golden Feathers Edward- _**Thanks for the idea! It sounds cute. I might put it in, so look for it in later chapters!

0o0o0o0o0o

_**My Kitsune**_

_Chapter Five: Not as Planned_

0o0o0o0o0o

Sasuke walked solemnly towards the Academy. He wore his navy blue shirt, the Uchiha crest showing on his back. His white shorts stopped right above his knees, his sandals made a clapping sound as they hit the dirt. He wore his Leaf hitai-ate proudly on his forehead.

The sun glittered overhead, and shone down heatedly upon his back. His black hair framed his pale cheeks, and his obsidian eyes stared blankly ahead towards the Academy.

At his side was Naruto, trotting on his black tipped feet, his auburn tail swinging in the air as he walked. He made sure to keep a reasonable distance from Sasuke, so as not to touch him and make the heat worse with his fur.

Today was the day that the orientation was going to begin. Sasuke was going to take the next step in becoming a ninja, a full-fledged shinobi of Konohagakure.

He was going to take missions, and have adventures, and get stronger. And Naruto had vowed to stay right with him through it all.

They had discussed and argued over this many nights and days. Naruto had really wanted to apply at the ninja Academy in his more human-henge form. Then, while people might start recognizing him as the boy who had left the village quite a few years ago, and turn their hateful glares upon him, he would atleast be with Sasuke the whole way.

But Sasuke had refused heatedly. He seemed quite angry that Naruto had even broached the idea upon him. They had thrown fits, ignored eachother many days in the past, until they decided on what to do about the whole thing. It was a compromise that neither was fully prepared to agree on, but it was close enough.

Naruto made the choice of traveling and protecting Sasuke -- much to the Uchiha's irritation at the thought of needing to be protected -- in the form of the kitsune that he had taken on a lot. The citizens of Konoha knew Naruto by his fox form the most, so it was probably the safest way to not be recognized.

Sasuke had agreed reluctantly that if they were in a tight situation, that he would reveal his form there. But only if it's a serious emergency. Sasuke tried his best to ignore that part of the agreement. He felt that the last thing he needed was protection.

Naruto only agreed to travel in the fox form because he wasn't completely useless to Sasuke in said form.

He had unique qualities that coincided with his half-n-half form, so it was okay with him.

They approached the entry door to the Academy, and Sasuke opened the door and went inside, quickly followed by the young fox. They strode towards the door to where they could hear voices coming from. Room C-13.

Sasuke slid the door open and went in. He looked around, and noticed that only a few others had made it, none of which he felt were very important to him at the time. He randomly slected a seat in the middle column of seats and sat promptly, interlocking his fingers and resting his chin on his hands; all with a stoic face.

He heard a soft snort coming from Naruto after the fox jumped on the table in front of him. He suppressed a smirk. He knew the fox hated his superior-like attitude.

He felt the fox staring at him in disdain at his body language. **_'Smart ass...'_** Sasuke felt the words of sarcasm and some amusement seemingly glide across his mind. It tried to send a small shudder dow his spine, but he suppressed it.

The raven wondered if he would ever get used to Naruto's thoughts penetrating his mind so fluidly.

The room started to get louder as more graduates from the Academy started to filter through the door and find seats next to their friends. They were all chattering excitedly about the upcoming assignments they would receive.

Sasuke tuned them out, ignoring all the loudness in the room and the annoying cooing from his fangirls as they oggled him. It was all really grating on his nerves. Naruto, on the other hand, looked perfectly fine with his position.

He was sprawled out on his side, making his tail go in some odd direction, and his black feet were scrambled everywhere. Completely idiotic. Sasuke sneered at the baka. He was trying to piss him off on purpose, he could just _feel_ the smirk coming from that stupid fox's mouth. He also apparently didn't mind the occasional rubbing on his stomach by a passing student- normally a fangirl of Sasuke.

Sasuke ignored Naruto's antics.

There were suddenly loud and angry voices coming from the door way. It sounded like a cat fight. And he recognized the voices all too well.

It was Ino, the obsessive blond who never shut up, and Sakura, the weird pink haired and abnormally large foreheaded girl, with an even bigger mouth apparently. They were fighting on who got in the door first.

"You _know_ I got in here first, Ino-pig!"

"In your dreams forehead girl!"

Sasuke could have sworn he felt his eye twitch. He glared at Naruto to take his mind off of the screeching. Again, the Uchiha could swear that he could feel Naruto's smirk, even in that fox form. He sat in front of Sasuke in a fake-innocent position, swinging his black tipped tail back and forth like a puppy.

After Sakura and Ino's poor and brief cat fight over the seat next to Sasuke, of which Sakura won, the weird large-foreheaded girl reached over to pet and coo over Naruto. She reached her hand out to rub his belly.

The fox actually didn't mind being fawned over by the girls. Well, they normally rubbed his head as an excuse to be around the handsome, young raven, but he never minded the occasional pat on his head. But his belly was reserved for his master. Only he could rub his belly in this form, which he liked very much.

So he moved away from the girl and went closer to Sasuke's left and out of reach of the disappointed girl who pouted. The fox wanted to keep his pride. He wasn't some house pet, or another common domesticated dog who turned over for anyone.

Sasuke remained silent through the whole ordeal, though he was noticeably tense at the fact that Sakura was sitting next to him.

Finally, Iruka entered the classroom, and the students rushed to take their seats and be silent. Iruka walked in front of the classroom with a small stack of maybe four or five papers in his hand.

"Welcome guys. And congratulations on passing the Academy exams! As new genin shinobi, you will all be assigned to 3 man squads with a jounin instructor."

At this announcement, Sasuke made a 'tch' sound of disapproval. _'A squad? With two other genin? They would only get in my way. How will I train?' _Sasuke wanted straight, no-interruption, hard-core training. He was afraid that his arrangements might be changed with being on a team with some other losers.

Naruto remained quiet.

"Alright, listen up everyone. I'm going to call these names out only once, so pay attention." Iruka looked down at the papers he was holding and began reading the names on the list out for the teams.

Some of the students moaned as they realized they were paired up with people they did not wish to be on the same team with. Other made squeals of delight as they found that they were paired with friends.

Naruto's tail swished behind him impatiently. He had stayed in this small classroom too long, and he was becoming restless. Sasuke took notice of this out of the corner of his eye, and he moved his hand to pat the fox on the head in a calming movement.

Finally, it was down to Sasuke's new team. And they were...

"...Team 7: Uchiha Sasuke, Sakura Haruno, and Sai Igarashi."

Sasuke never wanted to hit his head on a desk more than he wanted to now. Not only was he paired with crazy fan girl who wouldn't leave him alone to save his life, but he was paired with the weirdo look-alike that seemed to only know the language of _dick_. He made his unhappiness known through a dark grimace.

Sakura stood up beside him, the biggest grin on her face and her fists pumped into the air in victory. Sasuke resisted the urge to slap his forehead. He was praying that he could bare through with the whole ordeal.

How long were they going to remain in this particular team arrangement anyway? A year? Two? Maybe even longer? The Uchiha really didn't want to think about it. He felt that his teammates would only get in his way.

The students that he was in class with at the Academy often wondered if Sai and himself were related in some way. They could pass as brothers on some features, but Sasuke felt that they looked nothing alike in the least. He couldn't even see what other people thought that they saw, because his opinion of the other was completely different. They were _nothing _alike.

However, the fox did not know of Sasuke's extreme dislike of the other boy. The raven felt that his little indirect conflicts with the other more perverted boy were irrelevant, therefore there was no need to mention his sore feelings toward the other male.

And that _Haruno_... the raven wondered how long he could last on the same team as her. He knew she would probably be all over him. It seems the Uchiha glare effected her least of all, besides Naruto, and that platinum blonde was almost the exact same way. Their voices were annoying, the way they squealed made Sasuke want to get some super earplugs, and the way the practically _crawled_ all over his pale skin made him want to shudder at the thought.

He never really mentioned these things to the blonde fox either.

Naruto knew of the raging fangirls that would fawn over Sasuke. In fact, he found it rather amusing, which would really start to tick the Uchiha off. Naruto always teased him for such things, always grinning that idiot grin and silently laughing at him. Actually, that was probably why he never bothered to tell Naruto about his predicament with the pink headed girl.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Sakura give the victory sign to Yamanaka Ino, the platinum blonde who acted nearly as fan-girlish as Sakura. He wanted to roll his eyes so badly. They were so clueless. Naruto was curled up and looked asleep. He must have gotten bored after the announcing of his team.

"Alright class. Calm down." Iruka said, after finishing his announcements of the teams. "You will get an hour recess for lunch, and then you will return to the assigned room to meet your new sensei. Dismissed." Sasuke let out a sigh.

He had a feeling that things were going to get interesting.

And not in the good way.

The room he was eating his onigiri in was empty, and Naruto felt it was safe to transform back into his more human form. Auburn ears popped out of tuffs of blonde spikes, and his tail grew at the base of his spine. The white shirt he wore made the Uchiha crest on the shoulders stand out proudly.

He gave a grin. "So, waddya think?" Sasuke swallowed his food, his back leaning against the wall where the window was slightly open.

"It's going to be troublesome, I can see that coming from a mile away." The raven replied in a cool, monotone voice. "That damn Sai...he shows half his stomach all the time and struts like a whore. And Sakura will probably be the most meddlesome." He took another bite.

Naruto flinched at Sasuke's words. "Man, you think so harshly of them. Maybe it won't be so bad, ne? Learning with others is a good thing. You need other people to keep pushing you forward. You shouldn't judge others by appearance alone." The fox said in a scolding tone.

The ramen-lover never usually went against his master's wishes, though their ideals were completely different. The fox felt he knew what he was doing, but sometimes he had to put in his say. He had been maltreated before, and he knew what it was like to be judged before being known.

Sasuke sent the fox a silencing glare. He didn't like to be corrected. Naruto took a step back away from the Uchiha, and began to laugh nervously and sweat. "U-um...w-well, I guess it's okay if you don't like them. The whole world doesn't get along, ne?"

Sasuke didn't respond and continued eating. His bad humored aura still surrounded him, and Naruto took the hint and left the raven alone. Naruto let out a long sigh.

His master was brooding more and more lately.

As the fox shifted back into his demi-form, he thought of the past month that he had spent with his master after his graduation from the Academy and entry into Shinobi-hood.

The surprise dish went great, everything he would have expected and wanted. They had calming chatter, and Sasuke had been completely at ease. The weight of his problems and supposed obligations didn't climb on his shoulders that night.

But afterword, the good atmosphere seemed to go downward little by little. Sasuke ended up taking long walks by himself, asking the young fox to let him be and to think. Naruto always worried when the raven would end up coming home late, when lights of other houses had long since been put out. But after a while, it became a routine.

He was worried, but he was too scared to ask. Sasuke became more distant to others, and his expression only softened when he was with him. Naruto wanted to encourage friendship with others, not knowing if he would be able to hold Sasuke up by himself.

He would love nothing more than to be able to cure Sasuke, but one person lacked the ability to do such a thing. How could he, a mere, strange fox-human hybrid try to keep up one soul?

Naruto gracefully glided down the streets of Konoha, walking through crowds of people swiftly. He could feel a headache coming on. He didn't know how long he could keep this up. He never meant his master harm, and yet all he was trying to do to atone for his misdeeds seemed to go downhill.

No matter what he tried, the ones he loved were always the ones he couldn't save.

The fox finally arrived at his own quiet and peaceful place of rest. The Hokage mountains always brought a tranquil atmosphere about him. He jumped down onto the Yondaime's stone head, and lay down, watching the village below him. He let out a sigh.

He remembered when he would do anything to be just like them. A part of him still wanted to. He wanted to be looked at with a light shining in others' eyes, not with hate or disgust. No matter how young he had been when he had received such looks, they would always remain fresh in his mind.

There was a saying that no fox would ever forget its torments. He wished he could counteract that saying.

Impossible blue eyes stared among the crowd. They longed for something he knew he could never have.

Another presence beside him drew his attention away from the view, and the fox turned his ocean eyes to stare into raven ones.

As Sasuke entered the class silently, he wondered where Naruto had gone.

He didn't mean to push his friend away, but...

_'Ugh. How frustrating.' _He shook his head, his raven locks flying a little ways around his face, trying to clear his head.

He noticed how he separated himself from the other students and people from his class, but he really tried to refrain from doing such things to the idiot fox.

It wasn't Naruto's fault that his aniki decided that he wanted to kill his entire family and leave Sasuke all alone to suffer the entire weight of it.

He had been making cold actions toward the blonde more and more lately. He was becoming more frustrated and angry, but at himself. He blamed it on puberty.

Sasuke took a seat. He was the first one there, naturally. He stared out the window to wait for his companions to arrive. He absently fingered the orb hanging from his neck, rolling the ball in between his fingers and playing with it.

Had it really been four years? Four years since he was suddenly the new heir to an entire clan, four years since his heart broke into pieces, four years since soul was being filled with thoughts of revenge, four years since a little fox half breed came into his house, four years since said fox had given him a soul orb and helped Sasuke put the pieces of his life back together...

All in all, he felt he owed the fox an apology. Well...maybe just a subtle apology...Uchihas don't flat out say they're sorry. It went against his pride.

The door opened, and he looked over to see his so called look-alike Sai, sketch book in hand...with a reddish-brown fox with summer sky eyes purched on his shoulder.

All thoughts of an apology went out the window. What the _hell_ was Naruto doing riding on that freakish dick-languaged person's shoulder?!

Black pits sparked in anger as he glowered at Naruto and the person he was riding on. Naruto caught his gaze and immediately jumped off, heading towards his rightful master. Sasuke had a very dark look on his face as he looked at the fox. When his eyes moved to catch Sai's gaze, the other raven smirked slightly before turning to a seat on the opposite side of the room of where Sasuke was.

The Uchiha returned his gaze to Naruto.

_'What the hell are you doing?'_ Sasuke's thought radiated a dark tone.

**_'I went to the Hokage mountain after SOMEONE decided to be extremely rude to me.' _**The fox imphesized the 'someone' part. **_'Sai met me there to draw a sketch, and he offered me a ride on his shoulder to return back to the classroom. End of story. What's the big deal?'_** Naruto explained as he jumped onto the table in front of Sasuke and settled down into a curled position.

Sasuke grimaced as the fox explained his tale. He knew he shouldn't be overreacting like this. He tried to give the fox some freedom. He really did. He didn't want to be Naruto's master, just a friend. But he couldn't help the dark feeling inside of him that enjoyed his power over Naruto at convenient moments.

_'I don't want you hanging around him. He's a pest. He'll just get in your way.'_ Sasuke's thoguht was firm, leaving no room for arguements.

Naruto was silent for a time, staring at the Uchiha for a moment. Sasuke's obsidian eyes stared back, determined to win the battle.

Then, he could feel the submission from the fox, the emotion gliding over his mind.

**_'Fine.'_**

He looked away from Sasuke's gaze, and lay down in a submissive manner. A satisfied feeling washed over Sasuke.

Yup. His control over Naruto was a good feeling.

He smirked.

0o0o0o0o0o

A/N: Obviously, Sai's name is something I just randomly came up with, since he has no last name.

There are some changes happening that will slowly come out over the next few chapters.

Reviews cheer me up! I might have more motivation for the next chapter with some extra reviews.

Later.


	7. Blossoming Feelings

**_SilverKyuubi says: _**And here we are again. Again, yay for Shippuuden! I watched 8-9 the other day. This chapter has been done for a few days, but my stupid computer won't let me log in to for some reason. (grrr)

Thanks a BUNCH to Kiri! You're the most wonderful beta!!!****

**_Pairings: _**SasuNaru (main), KakaIru, NejiGaa (or Gaa/Neji, whichever I feel like doing at the time), Kiba/Shika****

**_Warnings:_** Yaoi, perverted Sai, you get the idea.****

**_Disclaimer: _**Oh dear...I thought no one knew about me kidnapping Naruto and keeping him in my closet! _-gasp-_

_**Thanks to: **_

**_Wolven Spirits-_** You know, I have been reading more overly possessive Sasuke fics recently. I love it!****

**_HalfBlackWolfDemon-_** I've never been much of a Sai fan, but I do love his dick remarks. I find them hilarious.****

**_ILoveAthrun-_** Well, here's the new chapter!****

**_Empress-Dragon-_** I know...I'm terribly sorry for that first delay. I just had a major lack of motivation. Atleast it's not the writer's block excuse, ne?****

**_Shaay-_** I am too. He makes things pretty funny and interesting, even though he looks a little too...something to me. I don't want to say gay, because that's not what I mean.****

**_Mike- _**About Naruto's attack moves, they won't show for a while, but the history behind them will clear up. You'll just have to wait and see!****

**_Heaven's Valentine- _**Possessive Sasuke rox! XD Naru-chan could never leave Sasuke, even though he might tell him to go away...maybe.****

**_Darksone- _**Thanks! Hope you enjoy the chapter!****

**_AKA Treat- _**Well, that's alright. I take ideas when they're offered!****

**_KawaiiKoneko89- _**Arigatou, Koneko-chan!****

**_Dark Toy- _**Hmmm... a bit. It is a random triangle though, isn't it?****

**_A.B.-_** Actually, it makes things kinda angsty, don't ya think? _-wink-_

**_SilverSyren- _**I KNOW! Me too!****

**_RaitenKitsune- _**Here's the update, for your delight!****

**_xXPixiexxStikXx-_** Hmm...but a HOT brat! XD****

**_Helen123- _**I got the idea from The Fox and the Hound! ;D****

**_Golden Feathers Edward- _**I'm sorry the chapter was too short for your taste, it was too short for mine too XP I'll try to put longer chapters in, but not too long, okay? And you'll find out about the Sai and Naruto thingy later.****

**_IVFanatic- _**Don't all assholes have giant egos? I currently think Sasuke is one, not from the fic, just from the current chapters of Naruto. He needs to get over himself!****

**_Nusku-_** Yeah...emo Sasuke. You should look at all the Emo Sasuke stuff on youtube, it's hilarious XD****

**_LilyFlower01-_** I'm glad ya like it!****

**_Terrier-_** Here's the new chappie for ya.

Enjoy guys!

0o0o0o0o

My Kitsune

Chaper Six: Blossoming Feelings

**0o0o0o0o**

To say the meeting with Kakashi was awkward would be an understatement.

Sai had been in the middle of another penis joke when Kakashi decided to walk in the door, much to the dismay of Sasuke and Sakura.

He apparently had heard the whole thing.

But Sai did nothing more than give a small sheepish grin before moving to take his seat.

Kakashi's first impression of the new squad was that he thought they were all nutcases. They all sweatdropped then.

Their sensei had strange silver hair the flopped over to one side, and wore a navy mask that covered his face, leaving only his right eye while the hitai ate covered his left eye. It was a very mysterious thing to Naruto, and it made him excessively curious as to what was hidden underneath. He had made his curiosity known when he had repeatedly tried to push the offending material off of his face during the introductions of eachother. Surprisingly, Kakashi was patient throughout the entire procedure. He calmly removed Naruto whenever he tried to paw down the mask, and even Naruto's sneakiest movements were caught.

Their introductions went fairly okay, though they noticed that Kakashi-sensei really only gave his name, much to the annoyance of his soon-to-be students.

"You," he said, pointing to the pink-haired kunoichi.

Her green eyes sparkled. "Well, my name is Haruno Sakura. The things I like-well, the _person_ I like is..." Sakura looked flustered, a pink blush covering her cheeks as her eyes

darted everywhere but to her crush.

Sasuke didn't appear to notice. Or care.

"Well, um- my hobbies are..." And there she went again. Looking around like she was keeping a secret or something. Sasuke almost let out a sigh of irritation. He felt Naruto's laughter ringing in his head.

"My dreams for the future-" This time she let out a squeak of excitement, her whole face turning a bright red.

Kakashi looked at her like she was nuts. He gave out a sigh. '_Girls her age...all they think about now is boys, not shinobi ways.'_ "And what about your dislikes?"

This took Sakura's attention for a moment. She looked fierce when she proclaimed loudly,

"That Ino-pig! She's always getting in my way, thinking she knows everything!" The fangirl gave a 'hmph'.

The silver-haired jounin turned his attention to Sai. This was about the time that Naruto crawled out of Sasuke's lap to go investigate about what was under Kakashi's mask. The fox cleverly crawled into his lap, making of show of just wanting to share the jounin's legs.

Kakashi eyed the kitsune warily before turning his attention back to Sai and allowing his presence.

"I'm Igarashi Sai. I like penises..." There was a silent pause with a cricket chirp before the raven continued. He didn't seem to notice. "My hobbies are sketching, and painting. And my dreams for the future...hmm. I don't guess I ever really gave it to much thought... I suppose to protect my big brother."

Naruto took this oppurtunity to paw at Kakashi's mask. He had succeeded in pulling it down slightly, but the silver-haired jounin managed to pry his paw off before picking the fox up and placing him on his side. Sasuke could almost see the pout emerging from the blonde fox.

He smirked slightly at Naruto's failed attempt.

Kakashi turned to Sasuke, silently offering him his turn. Naruto quirked his ears slightly toward his master, showing his interest in the matter of what he would say.

Sasuke's eyes hardened into the normal stoic mask again before speaking, his eyes narrowed and his chin resting on interlocked fingers. "I am Uchiha Sasuke. I can't say I really like anything," Naruto's eyes noticeably hardened at this, which Sasuke ignored, "and I have a lot of dislikes. I have not a dream, but an ambition. I will revive my lost clan, and kill a certain someone." Kakashi eyed the raven, a bit of understanding crossing his face.

_'So...it is like the Hokage said. I thought so...'_ Kakashi's face was grave as he eyed the Uchiha once more. He once again brushed Naruto off as he pawed at the jounin's mask, almost like the fox was trying to lighten the mood a bit.

Kakashi continued on to explain to them the terms for the survival exercise that they would be practicing tomorrow.

Then, they were dismissed.

0o0o0o0o

"Don't you think it was weird that he said that you couldn't eat breakfast?" Naruto half-shouted across the room to the Uchiha as he carried a load of laundry to the basement to clean them.

They had been home for about an hour, Naruto turned back into his half form and assumed chores. Sasuke and Naruto were discussing the events of today, each making comments on their new sensei and on their would-be teammates.

"I suppose not. I wouldn't put it past a jounin to be able to make anyone throw up. It'd be best to take the advice given to us. There's a reason for everything." Sasuke replied as he set the table for dinner. He wanted to make a large dinner so that he would at least survive tomorrow until it was lunch time. He had changed into a robe, obviously preparing for a bath.

Naruto mumbled an incoherent response, as he was a little to far away from the Uchiha to do much else.

Naruto went down to the basement to put the clothes he was carrying into the washer. He didn't notice the bar of wet soap on the floor, and managed to slip on it with an 'eep!' of surprise before slamming the back of his head against the cold stone, clothes flying everywhere.

After mumbling a couple of times and rubbing the back of his head, he turned his head and screamed.

"What the hell is a bar of _soap_doing down here?!!" With his distinct hearing, thanks to his fox blood, he could clearly hear a soft snickering coming from a certain Uchiha inhabitant.

Naruto growled and quickly got up to chase the offending raven.

_  
'That teme!!'_ Naruto sniffed around, quickly searching for Sasuke's most recent scent, since he was no where to be seen inside of the living room. He sniffed everywhere, his eyes not missing a thing. His nose led him outside, and he followed the dusty and deserted roads of the Uchiha compound. _'Yeah, he better run. He knows I'm gonna cream him when I get my hands on him!'_ he thought ferociously, though an amused smile graced his lips.

This whole thing was par for the course between them.

They were always pulling pranks on eachother, normally the start of it was Naruto. It was fun when Sasuke initiated a mini-war between them. It's how they played.

Naruto's tail swished with excitement.

Naruto followed the trail that Sasuke left, and it led to the back wall of the complex they lived at. The fox jumped over the wall, and continued to follow his scent into the woods that surrounded Konohagakure.

On a whim, he switched into his fox form, auburn covering where bear skin was, and paws replacing hands and feet.

He leapt through the woods, quietly asking the other creatures in the forest for guidance to his master, to which they agreed to tell him in chirps and soft growls. He swiftly followed the trail until he happened upon a river.

Here, he haulted, returning to his true form. His sharp eyes looked around.

Sasuke was getting smarter.

It was harder to track other people after being lead through a source of water by scent. He must have went into the river.

Naruto walked along the bank of the water, looking for more clues as to where his master might have gone. When he couldn't find any noticeable changes in the grass patterns or footprints, he let out a sigh and stood from his crouched position that he was in while investigating.

The fox turned his body to face the near setting sun. It was going to get late, and they hadn't even eaten yet. The warm rays of the sun captured the fox's attention, and also the calm atmosphere of the forest.

There was almost a silent calling to him that the trees and grass of the wilderness seemed to emite to him. It was the calling that he remembered to follow when he was a mere child of five years. Something that offered him so much, that offered him a way out from his evil days at the village.

Naruto inhaled deeply as a cool breeze wafted by, filling his senses again with the smell and feeling of the woods that breathed around him. His tail swished silently as he enjoyed the peaceful moment.

It didn't last long.

A wet tug on his auburn tail was all the warning he got before he was tugged into the river with a loud yelp of surprise.

He was dragged under water.

Naruto turned his body to see that his assaulter was none other than Sasuke, a mischevous smirk adorning his face from under water. Naruto glared at him from his spot. They rose to inhale some air.

"What the hell was that all about teme?!" The fox sputtered as he inhaled gulps of air, a blush of embarassment shining on his cheeks from being caught off guard so easily.

Sasuke only smirked. "Just thought you would want to cool down after steam started coming out of your ears." The Uchiha poked him in the chest with amusement.

Naruto noticed that his shirt was soaking wet, and proceeded to take it off before wrestling around with the raven.

They splashed water in eachother's faces, laughed, dunk eachother underwater, wrestled, and had fun as the sun's last rays scored across the sky. It was early twilight that they finally calmed down after playing.

They dragged their way towards shore, spent and exhausted from their rough play. They lay on the bank, breathing happily and grinning. They both felt sore, but in a good way. Sasuke was panting lightly, soaked to the bone, and he permitted a healthy glow of contentment that he didn't often feel. Naruto was in a similar situation.

Naruto turned to look at his partner, and he almost felt his breath catch in his throat.

Sasuke's raven hair glistened brilliantly with the early moonlight, and his pale skin emitted a soft glow. It was very elegantly sculpted, even at the young age of 12, though the raven was almost 13. The way the raven locks were plastered to the smooth face was stunning to the blonde. He had never look at his friend in this way before. Well, he never before noticed how...stunning the raven was in the first place, which was strange since foxes were known to have much knowledge of any beauty.

Naruto also took note of the panting state of his master, and how ero-

_'No!'_ Naruto screamed in his head before quickly turning his face away from the beauty laying next to him. A light blush was dusted across his cheeks.

Sasuke almost cringed at the loud scream that echoed inside of his mind. He sat up on his elbows, holding a hand to his head.

"Damn, Naruto...you ruined the mood." The Uchiha pouted at this. He glared over at his friend who had his eyes tightly screwed shut. "What was the 'no' for anyway?" he asked, wondering what caused the blonde such distress as to ruin his happy mood.

Naruto's eyes opened, wide. He didn't realize that thought drifted towards Sasuke at all! Normally, the blonde fox had control over which thoughts and emotions he chose to let Sasuke receive, but that one was completely out of his hands. He sat up too, his tan torso contracting.

"N-nothing! Come on, let's dry up so we can go back. Teme, we have to eat tonight." Naruto quickly and nervously got up and scooped up his soaking clothes, making to leave.

Sasuke stared at Naruto.

_'What the hell is his problem?'_ the raven thought. The fox was acting weird, that anyone could tell. Normally, he thought that the blonde would be happy after such an enjoyable time of wrestling and grappling, but he thought wrong apparently. Naruto was nervous, but for what he didn't know. He decided to ask him later before they went to bed. He too stood and gathered up his clothes before following Naruto through the woods, keeping a fair distance between them as to give the blonde some space.

0o0o0o0o

Sasuke came out of the bathroom, fresh pajamas on. He looked over at the fox who was sitting on his bed, his back turned to Sasuke. Sasuke could see his tail twitching nervously, and remembered is plan to ask the dobe what was up.

"Hey, Naruto, why are you acting all fidgety? Did I really get you that bad in the river?" You could hear the smug tone in the Uchiha's voice as he said this.

Naruto almost choked on that comment. But it obviously sparked some old fire in Naruto though. He turned to glare at him.

"As if _you_ could ever beat me in wrestling." Naruto said in a superior tone, trying to show up the raven, even though a flustered tone was still a tad bit noticeable. Sasuke caught this and frowned, making his way to sit next to the blonde.

"Seriously, are you alright? You seem a bit zoned out." Sasuke's voice was monotone, but it carried a hint of concern in it. Even that bit made Naruto smile.

"Nah, you don't need to worry about anything. I'm fine, just a bit ... confused I guess. But you need to rest up for tomorrow! You gotta get up really early afterall." Naruto said with a grin plastered on his face.

Sasuke wacked him with a pillow laying on his bed. "Dobe, your getting up with me." He smirked at the pout that graced Naruto's lips.

"But I don't _want_ to! It's your survival exercise! Why do I have to be there?" The fox started to whine. Despite being a natural early riser, he still loved his oppurtunities to sleep in a little late. It was actually Sasuke's fault he was an early waker.

"Because I said so. Now go to bed dobe." He got up and went towards the door to shut off the lights, filling the room with darkness. He headed to bed, and crawled under the sheets.

Naruto got up and watched as Sasuke climbed into bed. He smiled, and went to tuck the genius in. Sasuke would always protest at this sort of thing when they were little, but after a week or two of tucking him in, the raven reluctantly got used to it. Sasuke realized a long time ago that Naruto never had a family, and when he found out that this was the sort of

thing families did, he made every effort to be like family to Sasuke.

He wondered if he would ever be able to let Naruto know how much that truly touched him.

After the fox finished tucking him in, he gave him a light kiss on the forehead, his fox ears brushing against the raven's neck. Sasuke felt a strange tingling feeling from where Naruto's lips brushed over his skin.

Naruto returned to his demi form, auburn hair glistening in the moonlight that shone from the window. He curled into the sleeping basket of blankets that was laid out beside the bed. He snuggled against the blankets.****

_**'Good night, Sasuke.'** _

_'Night Naruto.'_ Sasuke's thought was faint, a sign he was close to sleep.

Naruto tried to hold onto the reverbarations of the echos in his mind for as long as he could.

The fox still couldn't understand the strange butterfly feelings in his stomach that he had felt this evening with his master. It was strange, and he had never felt that sort of belly flopping thing for anyone before. It was so foreign, and it scared Naruto a little bit, because he didn't know if the feelings were good or bad.

He just prayed things would go back to normal by morning.

0o0o0o0o

A/N: WEll, there ya go. Once again, I know it's a little shorter, but I promise to try and make them longer after going over it with my beta.

Anyone else hate Karin? I hate her, hate her, hate her, hate her! She's trying to steal Sasuke away! And plus, the fangirls are getting annoying...

Review! And drop me some ideas! I need some ideas for the other couples. Any scenario that you guys have in mind for how they get together?

Later.


	8. Between a Fox and a Sensei

_**SilverKyuubi says: **_Hey guys! Back again with a new chapter. Sorry for the slower update with the last chapter. wouldn't let me update for a while, but atleast it agve me time to work on this chapter, ne? As for the new chapters of the manga, anyway have any clue what Suigetsu is up to by having the prisoners spread the word that 'Sasuke is a savior'? Sounds fishy...

A big thanks to the wonderful as ever Kiri, who has been a great beta. We'll be sticking together for a long time, seeing as how much I keep dragging this story out! I mean, 7 chapters and we're just now getting to the survival exercises?

_**Pairings: **_SasuNaru, KakaIru, NejiGaa, KibaShika

_**Warnings:**_ Yaoi, shounen-ai, adorable foxes, brooding Uchihas, all that stuff.

_**Disclaimer: **_Masashi-sama is the awesome creator of Naruto and co. I'd probably screw everything up if it was in my hands. o.O

_**Thanks to: **_

_**RaitenKitsune-**_ Here ya go! I hope you enjoy!

_**SilverSyren- **_Haha, I love that scene. It's so cute!

_**Heaven's Valentine- **_Well, I'm glad you're cool with the pairings, cuz I'm gonna pray I don't screw everything up.

_**KawaiiKoneko89-**_ Thanks! Hope you enjoy the chapter!

_**Frogger666-**_ I'm glad Sasuke isn't all broody like he usually is in the series. It gets annoying after a while, don't ya think?

_**Aqua- **_Thanks for the support!

_**HalfBlackWolfDemon- **_You'll get there eventually with Sai. When you do, it'll be hilarious. XD

_**Nusku- **_Here's your update! Enjoy chapter 7.

_**Wolven Spirits- **_Glad to have a supporter. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

_**xXPixiexxStikXx- **__ -sigh- _The wonders of a jounin. ;D

_**Noali- **_Thanks for the review! Yeah...sorry about not getting the couple you wanted. I was never a big GaaLee fan, but I intend to have Neji and Gaara take turns as seme. I hope you like this fic anyway.

_**Black-Dranzer-1119- **_Yuck! You'll hate her when you get to her. She's another obnoxious Sasuke-fangirl. It ticks me off.

_**RubyMoon17- **__-backs away cautiously- _Haha jk. I'm glad to have an enthusiastic reviewer!

_**Golden Feathers Edward- **_Hmm...you know, that gave me a great idea! Thanks!

_**Gothgrrl13- **_Thank you, fellow Karin-hater! You know, I wonder why all of the Sasuke-fan girls don't get the point that he's not interested...that's kind of insulting, actually. Masashi's trying to do females in, I swear!

_**Kyte-sama- **_Yay! Another Karin-hater companion! Welcome aboard, mate!

Enjoy!

**0o0o0o0o**

_**My Kitsune**_

_Chapter Seven_: _Between a Fox and a Sensei_

**0o0o0o0o**

Sasuke woke early the next morning at his time of 5:00 A.M, thanks to an excessively annoying alarm clock.

He lay there under the sheets for a few moments, trying to relish in the time and comfort that he could remain snuggled up under the blankets and be away from all of his daily problems before having to face them.

He snuggled his face against his pillow, trying to bury it deeper. His eyes opened half-way, coal eyes glazed as he thought about his dream last night.

It took a moment to remember, as usual. But after thinking back to it, the pictures that had been reeling through his mind the previous night began to replay themselves in his inner mind, voices and smells that weren't real coming into play.

_He was running towards something. What it was, he didn't know. _

_It was a tall looking figure, merciless looking eyes. But he couldn't see the face. _

_The figure blacked out into shadows, and showed almost a tunnel. He was feeling strange, a strong urge to go towards there. That comforting darkness that offered numbing, the blissful numbing of the pain in his chest and every other trouble around him. _

_He thought he saw a light, but it was coming from behind him. And it was very faint. Like an early sunrise, first few rays very dim, and a mellow type of yellow. _

_He wanted to turn around and see, but he knew that it would be too hard. He couldn't look that way._

Wouldn't _look that way. _

_He refused to turn back to it, because it meant he would have to deal with all that pain and all those troubles. _

_Why wouldn't it leave him alone? Why would it want to take him away from the beautiful barrier from his pain called darkness? _

_He didn't understand, he didn't even know why he was here. Actually, he knew nothing. Everything seemed blank, as if a role was already set out for him and he was just watching his body move and think for him. _

_He moved forward. _

_It seemed to get even darker around him, even though it was already pitch black. _

_Was it getting cold? _

_Baka. He should have remembered to bring a jacket before going into such cold weather. _

_And maybe he should have brought a flashlight as well. It was so dark here. Though the faintly glowing light was right behind him that he was trying to escape from, artificial light wouldn't hurt him, would it? Besides, if he went back to that light, be might get a sunburn on his overly pale skin. _

_Wouldn't want that. _

_Man, it was _really_ cold. He really wished he had a blanket now. A nice warm blanket. Somewhere, a faint thought came to him. _

_He knew that by going deep down towards the darkness, it would get colder. Would it be warmer with the light, then? _

_But even so, even if he would freeze, the pain was numb here. He couldn't feel it. The coldness was started to make it invisible to his nerves. Maybe it was good for something afterall. _

_Oh well. _

_He continued on._

Sasuke opened his eyes all the way as those thoughts and feelings kept coming back to him.

He didn't completely understand it. Usually, if something isn't spelled out for him or put bluntly in his mind, dreams would be forever confusing to him. It was one of the few things that he felt he would never be able to figure out, so he would never even try.

Besides, dreams and whatnot were for those gypsy people, you know, the ones who read palms and do other useless things like try to trick you into thinking they can read the future.

It had nothing to do with him.

Sasuke felt it was time to get up, he had been laying there for 15 useless minutes, and nothing was being done. The dim light over the horizon was steadily getting stronger. The raven threw the sheets off of him and yanked his legs over the side of his bed. He looked down to the basket that was laying right next to his sleeping space.

The kitsune was sleeping soundly, its stomach rising and falling deeply. Naruto was apparently unfazed from his sleep by the alarm clock. _'He looks really peaceful, unlike when he's awake.' _Sasuke thought with a slight grin. He looked over the black tips of the tail and ears, and then to the closed eyelides that hid beautiful azure eyes.

Sasuke liked the idea of keeping Naruto as a pet, since he was never allowed to have one when he was younger.

His father had forbidden it, stating that he had to study on his ninja works and grow up to be like his aniki. He had seen others with pets, some used to fight alongside shinobi, and the small raven had never seen any harm with this idea. He wanted _someone_ to play with him. Why not an animal?

But as he reached his seventh and eighth year, he began to loose hope in the idea. He never cared for that anymore, and always focused on gaining his father's acknowledgement. It was one of the real things he wanted, and he was willing to achieve any lengths to get that.

But now, as he gazed down at Naruto's sleeping form, he had more than just a pet.

He had...well, he wasn't sure if he could call Naruto a friend, since the bond seemed a bit deeper than that.

... Best friend, maybe?

Yeah.

The raven let out a small smile as he climbed from bed noisily as to try to wake the fox.

It was time to get up, they had to be by the training grounds by 5:30 afterall.

He shuffled around, pulling his shirt over his head from the closet. It was the navy blue one with the high colar, the Uchiha crest planted proudly on the back. Sasuke then put on his white shorts and went near the side of his bed where the sleeping fox was, a little unsettled from all of the noise he was purposefully making, but otherwise sleeping soundly. He crouched down next to the basket.

"Naruto." Sasuke called in a firm voice. He watched the fox's breathing hitch for a moment, and watched the narrow muzzle shift slightly as the fox stirred from his sleep. Sasuke leaned down and put his hand on the warm back of the kitsune, stroking his fur a little before calling out to him again.

"Come on, dobe, you have to wake up. We have to go to the training grounds." Sasuke's coal eyes burned into the fox's closed ones as he willed them to open just to save them the annoyance. Sasuke shook him some more. Naruto just made a light whimper and turned his muzzle away from the raven. The Uchiha could feel a tick growing in his forehead. _'Fucking idiot.'_

"Naruto!" He shook the fox violently this time. He watched with a frown as Naruto _finally_ turned his head and opened a blue eyes to meet irritated coal ones.

_**'You're noisy when you're sleeping with all those snores. Do you have to be noisy at this god forsaken hour too?' **_The fox asked lazily from his spot in his basket. He snuggled deeper into them.

Sasuke felt a vein pop. "Moron, Uchihas _**don't**_snore. Now get up. It's time to go to the training grounds." With that he stood from his crouched position and went to the bathroom to do his morning routine. Naruto yawned.

After stretching forth his front paws and arching his back so that his tail swung in the air a few times, Naruto shook his mane and reverted back to his normal halfbreed state, ears drooped in a lazy motion. The blonde brought his hand up to wipe the sleep from his eyes and to run his hands through his hair to help wake himself up.

The ramen-lover was clad in black boxers with orange swirlies: they were his favorite. He turned his hollow blue eyes toward the window to see that the sun hadn't even risen yet.

He pouted.

_**'Maaaahh, it's WAY too early!'**_ He turned and flopped down on Sasuke's bed that was still warm and snuggled in the blankets.

He was hit by a toothbrush on the head a second later.

"Come on, dobe! Get fixed up so we can go. I don't want to have to be late." Sasuke glared at him with dark eyes from the bathroom doorway. He then left the room with a superior aura surrounding him, his feet were heard padding softly on the wooden floors. Naruto's squinted and annoyed eyes trailing him as he left. He felt a vein pulse in his forehead at the Uchiha's demanding attitude.

"Well, excuse me Mr. I've-got-a-stick-up-my-ass-in-the-morning Uchiha!"

This time he had to dodge a kunai.

_**0o0o0o0o**_

Naruto swore he was about to die of exhaustion.

He could feel the bags under his eyes get heavier and heavier, and how he deeply _yearned_ to be curled up in his nice basket full of snuggling blankets. He could lay there forever in complete bliss until he decided it was fit for him to finally open his eyes, and then spend another 30 minutes just laying there and basking in the sunlight that would peek through the window as he would slowly and comfortably lay there until his morning sleepiness wore off, and he would stretch, arching his back and pawing the blankets under him, and would run towards the smell of Sasuke cooking breakfast...

Not _this._

Waking up at some ungodly hour in the morning when the sun wasn't even up and being rushed to brush his teeth and eat a quick breakfast (without Sasuke) before his master was rushing him to put on a decent set of clothes and then changing back into his fox form. All of these rushed and unsettled morning activities in the hopes of making it on time to the training grounds where their new sensei was _supposed _to be were really quite taxing.

Where in which the evil (Naruto declared) sensei decided to be late...and here Naruto could have been at home sleeping for another hour, seeing as it was probably past 6:40. The kitsune cursed the gods for giving them a tardy teacher.

Sai still looked half-asleep when he got there. His dark eyes were droopy, and his pale body seemed to glow in the morning blue. He carried his ninja tools on his leg, along with his paintbrush. Though Naruto doubted he would have the time to even begin to want to draw anything. I mean, this place wasn't so interesting to sketch anyway. Surely the male wasn't so confident in his abilities that he thought he had time to start painting scenery while they were doing exercises. But Naruto was still half-asleep when this comment came into his mind, so he quickly put it off.

Sai had sat down and rested his chin on his arms silently, apparently trying to go back to sleep as he closed his eyes. He had set his pack down next to him.

Sakura didn't look much better.

Her pink hair was looking a little flat this morning, swaying across her mid-back as she made her way, yawning and stumbling, over to where the others were. She mumbled a quiet 'good morning' which lacked the enthusiasm she normally possessed. Her green eyes were dull with sleep, and she looked like she could use a few extra hours herself. She had also brought a pack full of ninja tools and set them aside. She sat down too, apparently too tired to say or do anything much else. Sakura's pink head was nodding into sleep very soon.

_**'And guess who's trying to be Mister Perfect?'**_ Naruto mumbled in his head as he watched the standing Uchiha who looked like he had been awake for hours.

The Uchiha stood with his head held high, his obsidian eyes narrowed, as though he were concentrating on something, although the fox was thinking his master was loony just trying to do anything so hard as thinking this early in the morning. His body was stiff and alert, and he had been in that position for the last hour.

Naruto seriously thought the raven was losing his mind, trying to stand there all perfect and everything. I mean, who was looking? It's not like Naruto cared if his demeanor was a little off because of sleepiness, and the other raven of the team and the pink-haired fuzz ball wouldn't mind all that much either.

Naruto pushed all that aside for the moment.

He was tired, and he wanted to cuddle. No matter what pride might lurk in the blonde, he was still a fox. And foxes loved interaction and touch.

His master didn't look to be in the mood for snuggling at the moment. And the kitsune was sure that his master wouldn't be that comfortable anyway. He was standing afterall. He turned dazed blue eyes to Sai, wondering if he might make a good snuggle-companion, but then quickly turned his mind away from him.

Sasuke didn't seem to like him much, and as much as the fox loved to piss the raven off, he decided to lay off of Sai for a while.

So, he half-walked, half-dragged his way over to Sakura, who didn't seem like the type to mind a cute and innocent little fox like him (yeah right). He curled up next to her on the ground, and she seemed slightly startled out of her half-asleep form. She looked on her right side from where she had her legs folded up to her chest and her arms resting on them, and smiled down at the fox laying there, green eyes still sleepy. She patted him slightly before returning to her previous position of exhaustion.

Sasuke turned his head slightly to the side to look over to where Naruto was laying, gave the blonde a thoughtful look, before turning his head back.

_'Whatever...'_

**3 Long Hours Later...**

_**'Where the hell is this guy?!'**_ Naruto practically screamed in his mind.

He had finally awakened from his dead feeling and was now becoming very impatient. He was prancing around, tail twitching and eyes darting around for a sign of their sensei. He had pleaded with Sasuke if he could go on and take a nice run through the woods or something, but his master clearly didn't want him to leave his side. He had made it known with a severely harsh Uchiha-glare that was sent his way when he had asked.

So now Naruto was running and skipping around, occasionally pacing. Sometimes Sai would give a small wrestle with him, since he too was awake and waiting, seated on the ground. His normally smiling face had frowned when the fox had tried to start a tug-of-war battle with his paintbrush. Then he had shooed the kitsune away, much to the disappointment of Naruto.

Sakura was completely boring, since she was clearly insane. Naruto had tried approaching her again when she was awake, but when he neared her and pressed his paw on her thigh as a gesture of companionship, she immediately seemed to have fire streaming from the background and she punched him 5 yards over. She didn't know poor Naruto only wanted to play, she thought at first it was some pervert trying to feel her up. After she realized it was Naruto, she tried to appologize by petting him, but he had already run over to Sasuke and started growling lowly.

She backed off and figured what was done was done. (mean Sakura! XP)

When Kakashi did arrive, he merely gave a 'Good morning, everyone.'

Sai and Sakura screamed, "You're late!" and pointed at him accusingly, to which Naruto had snorted loudly in agreement. Kakashi merely gave the excuse of a black cat crossing his path and having to take the longer way.

_**'This guy's excuses are even worse than mine! What ninja takes 3 fucking hours?!' **_Naruto started ranting in his head. Sasuke looked annoyed at their sensei's tardiness too, but said nothing.

_**0o0o0o0o**_

The rules had been simple enough. Take the bells from Kakashi using any means necessary. If you didn't do it before lunch, you would fail, and whoever didn't get a bell would have to sit and watch the sensei and their teammates eat in front of him/her. And also, whoever didn't get the bells were sent back to the Academy.

Naruto was grinning though. He was so glad he wasn't a part of this.

Despite the fact that their jounin sensei was suspicious as to his abilitie's limits, the fox knew otherwise.

This man didn't receive the title of a jounin from nothing.

Naruto sensed the large supply of chakra from the man when he had been sniffing around Kakashi yesterday when being introduced. That supply of chakra comes from many, many years of hard work and experience. Naruto mentioned this to Sasuke the night before, but he didn't know if his master would take his words seriously until Kakashi's skills were out in the open for Sasuke to see.

So Naruto decided to smell around for the food. There was obviously lunch here: he could smell it. Now he was trying to track it down so he could get a good lunch in. Normally, he eats in his half-breed or human form instead of his demi-form. He had abandoned the ways of the animal fox when he met Sasuke. Having human attributes was much more convenient afterall, though he never forgot how to hunt: that came purely from his animal instinct.

Naruto searched around for his food, leading him over a few open fields. The exercise had been in process for about an hour now, and Naruto had nothing better do to. Besides. Sasuke would understand if he ate a portion of his food, right?

His nose led him to a giant stone of granite, with two bento boxes placed on the base of the monument. His curiosity perked, he lifted his ears and trotted towards the unique stone with kanji carved into it. He disregarded the two boxes for a moment to gaze at it. After looking over the names on it a moment, understanding dawned on the fox, and his mood suddenly became somber and quiet.

_**'These people...'**_ He thought as he neared the stone slowly. He turned sad azure eyes onto the stone. _**'...They must have-'**_

"They all died." A voice from behind him suddenly called. It was deep and mature, and slightly familiar.

Naruto sharply turned his head towards the voice to look at the owner, which was none other than Kakashi. His dark grey eyes and expression held a seriousness that he had only seen in the most involved shinobi that have seen all of the suffering and death that can be seen, to a point where it hardly scratches their internal wounds anymore.

For such a young man to have that kind of heart already scared the kit, more than he thought possible.

_**'This guy...'**_ He was definitely more than he seemed.

Kakashi walked up to the monument, staring straight at it and not looking down at Naruto again. In this posture, he continued talking, as though he was aware that the fox knew every word that had come out of his mouth.

"This is a memorial, to honor the shinobi who have lost their lives in battle, to protect this village and eachother." Kakashi said in a solemn voice. It was quiet, as if the whole forest around them could feel the sadness permeatting from the ninja. Naruto looked at him from the corner of his eye. The fox was assured that this man was unaware of his intelligence, otherwise, he wouldn't open himself up to him like this. He turned his head back to the headstone.

"...Some of my most dear friends' names are carved here..." Kakashi's gaze was sad, but Naruto knew there was still a lot of hidden pain buried under those wise grey eyes.

This man was strong, indeed, to be able to hide all of that.

The silver-haired man finally decided to turn his head towards the fox, and his expression softened a bit as he looked in Naruto's blue eyes. He crouched down so that his knees were bent to his chest and he reached out a hand to pet Naruto softly on the head. Naruto looked up at Kakashi with his head cocked to the side in confusion, blue pools staring into grey ones.

"Sasuke's lucky to have you," he said in a calm voice. "I wonder if you'll ever know how much he'll be continuing to need you." Naruto's heart suddenly was filled with a warm feeling at the words Kakashi was speaking to him. It was nice to be told from someone else that he was needed by his special person.

It was nice to be needed.

Kakashi stood once more.

"Ja, well, I need to go check up on how things are working out with the others. My clones should be giving them a rough time." Kakashi's eye was curved in an apparent smile. The fox was happy that the man's mood had uplifted. He hated seeing people sad.

Then Naruto remembered his previous goal, and looked over to where the bento boxes sat, almost begging Naruto to unravel them and stuff the contents down his throat. He started heading towards them with hunger until 2 half-clothed hands stopped him by holding him up by the armpits, right above his destination.

"Now, now..." Kakashi scolded the fox as Naruto tried to struggle out of the sensei's strong arm grip. "You know those are for the students...surely you can find your own food in the forest...?" Naruto was now cursing this ridiculous man as he continued to thrash his body around to try and get the lunch boxes sitting tauntingly below him.

_**' Dammit...I hope this guy has a bird fly over him and poop on him, or maybe step in a pile of dogshit when he's reading that perverted book of his... or- Kuso!! Let me go!' **_Naruto cried feebly in his mind as Kakashi continued to hold him down. Then Kakashi sat on his tail to prevent him from getting the food, pulling out that orange book that clearly said that children were unallowed to read the contents.

Naruto seriously felt like the vein in his forehead pop.

_**'That's my fucking TAIL you're sitting on, you old fart!'**_ Naruto glared at the man sitting on his precious soft tail that was starting to hurt really bad. Kakashi just smiled.

"Don't look at me like that...I can't finish reading my book and hold the bento boxes out of reach from you at the same time without feeling _some_ discomfort. You should understand..." He turned his attention back to his hentai book, giggling every once in a while.

_**'...I **_**know**_** you didn't just degrade me by sitting on my TAIL and giving me the excuse that it would make you **_**uncomfortable,**_** you lazy ass!'**_ Naruto's anger fueled him as he thrashed desperately and clawing at the earth to try and get away from the man. He didn't care about the food anymore, now he wanted to _kill_ this guy!! How dare he sit on him so simply like this?!

When Naruto turned his body to try and bite and claw the silver-haired man, Kakashi merely moved his body so that he was now sitting on Naruto's back, and the poor fox was squished to the ground, his eyes feeling like they were about to pop out with the pressure of the weight on him.

Naruto finally gave up, his pride completely deflated and damaged, him laying comically flat under Kakashi as the man continued to read his book with glee.

He felt that if he could cry in this form, there would be a river under them by now.

_**0o0o0o0o**_

By the end of the day, Sai, Sasuke, and Sakura had all made the team and were now official genin. It hadn't been easy on any of their parts, but they all made it in the end.

Sasuke had looked _extremely_ amused at the fact that Kakashi was sitting flat on him, despite the fact that he hadn't been able to get the bells by the time limit. Naruto had threatened to claw his eyes out, since he had seen the smirk plastered on his face before it was hidden behind his stoic mask. But the fox could still feel his amusement in waves, which pissed the fox off to no end.

Apparently, his master had almost gotten the bell. It was a close call, but not close enough. Sakura was caught easily in a genjutsu, and Sai's antics hadn't worked either, though no one knew what happened with his encounter with one of Kakashi's clone.

Since there were only two bento boxes, one of them had to go hungry. Sai had readily volunteered, even though his stomach rumbled. The raven felt his pride was not so inflated that he would not let his comrades eat some food. _'Besides...' _he thought at the time, _'I already brought that rice cake with me in my pack.'_ Sai was prepared for a long exercise, and thought he would be able to eat at some point, maybe after the designated 'throwing up' session that Kakashi had mentioned might happen the day before.

He was thankful he had it with him when the scarecrow informed them of the real reason behind not eating breakfast.

Kakashi had explained to them the importance of teamwork, and how it was the whole purpose of the exercise. Sasuke felt really stupid after that having to be explained to him, though he couldn't understand how teamwork would be effective anyway. _'People just get in the way.'_

After offering a portion of his meal to Sai, even though being warned not to share by Kakashi, Sai felt he would be interrogated as to why he refused the food so readily. He had taken the food anyway, even though it was clear he was not supposed to. After scaring the hell out of all of them by his sudden angry appearance, the silver-haired teacher passed them, much to their shock.

Overall, it was an amusing and interesting day.

Now, Sasuke and Naruto were in the forest where the sakura tree bloomed. Where Naruto's old burrow was. The fox was once again in his real form, black-tipped fox ears sprouted from his glowing blonde hair that the moonlight gave him. He was seated right under the tree, his back to the trunk, and his tail swishing serenly next to him. Sitting on his right was Sasuke, his pale skin glowing once again with the moonlight, giving him an ethereal look, Naruto noticed.

The small trickling sound of the stream nearby was delightful background noise, along with the soft cricket chirps of evening. Fireflies floated around them, giving the scene a romantic feeling.

The blue of the atmosphere was nearly gone, and stars were shining brightly next to the moon.

This was Naruto's and Sasuke's way of celebrating. This peaceful quiet was like a blessing to the both of them, where there spirits and feelings drifted and were shared by the other. There souls were almost like one, both sharing similar feelings at the quiet surroundings.

It was a long day, and an accomplishing one.

They both looked forward to tomorrow as they sat there, sharing glances at eachother with small smiles on their faces.

_**0o0o0o0o**_

A/N: And there's chapter 7 for your delight. Hope you enjoyed it. And now, I'm going to go enjoy some instant beef ramen!

Later.


	9. Journey to the Land of Waves

_**SilverKyuubi says: **_Holy shit. Everyone must be ready to murder me by now. O.O Gomenasai!!!!! _-ducks as people come charging over with pitchforks and torches- _I really am sorry! I came down with a serious case of laziness and writer's block. And vacation time since school is over. xx no killing please!

_**Pairings: **_SasuNaru, NejiGaa, KakaIru, KibaShika

_**Warnings: **_Yaoi, weird kitsune demonic activity, moody Sasuke...

_**Disclaimer: **_Don't own, don't profit

_**Thanks to: **_All reviewers! And you! for being cool and reading my fic. _-sweatdrop- _**(she's too lazy to reply to all the reviewers...isn't it sad?)**

Enjoy!

_**0o0o0o0o**_

_**My Kitsune**_

_Chapter Eight: Journey to the Land of Waves_

_**0o0o0o0o**_

_'Well, it's better than chasing that stupid cat...' _the brooding Uchiha thought when he and his teammates were waiting by the front gate for their sensei and client so that they could leave Konohagakure. For Sasuke, this wasn't his first time.

He had been taken out of the village many times, due to his father's meetings with other leaders in foreign lands. His father worked closely with the Hokage, and therefore had to attend with leaders outside of Konoha along with the Hokage. Sometimes, his family would come along as a mini-vacation for them, although his nii-san never cared for it much since he was always on missions and everything. He was training to be an ANBU at the time, when he was already a jounin at such a young age...

Sasuke tried to turn away from those dark thoughts by concentrating on the fox that was happily scurrying around the road, looking all over the grass and bushes impatiently while waiting for their sensei.

Naruto was thrilled when they had finally received a real mission. Most of the time, they were picking weeds, and Naruto found it extremely boring. And with him remaining in that form, he couldn't really do anything to help. The last time he tried to pick weeds for a client, he got hit over the head with a broom. The lady thought he was trying to eat his vegetables, even though foxes normally consume meat, as they were a type of canine.

It related well to his servant however. Naruto never cared for vegetables. He loved ramen though, which was better than some of the stuff he used to bring home when they were little.

It was hard trying to make Naruto learn the ways of humans. Sasuke never payed attention to it before, since he was only 8, but Naruto did seem to remember some stuff back then. Some objects, some terms, and he knew Japanese despite the fact that he had lived in the forest all his life...

...or so he thought. 

The raven realized he never did ask Naruto about his past before he came to Sasuke, and Naruto never asked Sasuke of his. It was a silent agreement between the two, something that they wanted to keep to themselves. Sasuke told the blonde little about what had happened. He merely told him that his family was dead, and that his older brother brought the death to them. He never said anything about the feelings of hate he felt towards his brother, nor did he mention anything beyond that after that one time.

It was a fact that everyone else knew, it was the thing that Naruto knew now, and nothing more. The fox knew nothing of his feelings of hate, or plans of revenge, his desire to rebuild his family that was lost...he never shared those feelings with him. It was the one thing he kept to himself.

He didn't know why he didn't want to give that information to Naruto...In anyone else's eyes, Naruto was the ideal and number one person that he would tell such inner thoughts and feelings to...but something always held Sasuke back, though he knew not what. It's not that Naruto wouldn't understand, or wouldn't want to offer comfort or words, or any of that, because the raven knew Naruto would be more than willing to help carry his burden.

Maybe that's why he didn't want to tell his friend. If he told him, then he would start to depend on the blonde to help carry the burden, and he wouldn't let himself do that. He couldn't let himself do such a thing as depend on someone else. His pride was at stake there. He was an Uchiha, and Uchihas are independent and care for no one.

With a random poof, Kakashi appeared out of no where, and gave a sheepish grin hidden behind his mask, his eye curved in an upside-down 'U' shape.

"Yo! Sorry I was late, there was a naughty dolphin that needed punishment, and so I had no choice but to give it what it was due..." Kakashi stated as he walked towards his team and the annoyed client, Tazuna, who was still chugging away at his beer before wondering if coming to Konoha to ask for protection was such a great idea or not.

"LIAR!!" Sakura yelled, one hand curled at her side in a fist while the other was pointing accusingly at Kakashi. Sai had a more calm expression, but--said with a less loud tone--the same word in sychronization with his pink-haired teammate. Naruto's attention pulled away from the bushes he was investigating out of boredom and trotted lightly over to where Sasuke was; rubbing up against his leg briefly as a warning before he crouched and jumped onto his master's shoulder with elegant ease. 

Sasuke rubbed his head affectionatly.

They headed out finally, walking calmly along the dusty road, dry from lack of rain for many weeks. Summer had arrived for quite some time, and the whole forest spoke of it. Sasuke had taken notice of how Naruto would often go out into the woods, and of how many times he asked the Uchiha to join him for the joy of hunting their own prey.

Sasuke preferred to actually buy food prepared and ready, but there was pride in the way he slayed his own keep and kept himself alive by his own skill and blade. It was something he had never done before he met Naruto, and it was something he was pleased Naruto showed him, even though the fox had no clue of the raven's grown ego from such a simple thing.

The fox rested calmly ontop of the Uchiha's head, the added weight giving Sasuke a feeling of comfort. They heard Sakura making some small talk with Tazuna about his bridge and of about the C-ranked mission's dangers. They also listened in on Kakashi's talk of the other hidden villages in the other countries surrounding Konoha and the ones that lived far beyond the Village of Leaves. It was interesting, but Sasuke's attention had been drawn away from it due to Naruto's suddenly tense body. It stilled quickly and he lifted his fox muzzle to the air to smell and his ears perked up in alert.

Sasuke too raised his guard due to the fox's wariness.

_'What's wrong?'_ His thoughts were quiet as they were sent to Naruto, as though if they were spoken too loudly in their minds, something might spring out and attack.

The team was passing over a small bridge with a stream running under it as they continued walking. None of them seemed to be on alert like the fox was. Sakura was quiet, Sai even more so, Tazuna grumbling momentarily, and Kakashi as strange as ever. Everything seemed perfectly normal, but nothing was ever certain.

Naruto was silent for some time. His eyes searching silently, his ears twitching and jerking every which way. His tail was swishing in a nervous manner.

_**'... Something's not right. It's too quiet.'**_ Naruto's thoughts were ringing with anxiety. He bent his legs and jumped down from the raven's head and started sniffing around. Sasuke immediately raised his guard on high. The raven trusted Naruto's judgement on things from the nature around them. If something was wrong, he would know.

_'Is it an enemy force?'_  
_**  
'I think so...but they're so still, it's hard to tell where they are. Whoever it is, it's no genin.' **_Naruto turned his attention to something up ahead. They had fallen to the back of the group, since the fox had slowed down to try and decipher the meaning to his screaming instincts.

All of his inner nature's warnings were going hay-wire. It sensed danger, the killer intent coming from somewhere. It was hidden, barely, as it seemed the other's were not able to detect it. A million things were running through the fox's mind. Who is it? What are they after? Where are they? Whoever it was didn't seem so dangerous that it was something Naruto  
couldn't handle if he had to, but still...he didn't want Sasuke to get hurt. That was his main worry.

And he couldn't help his instincts. His heart was hammering, and everything was like a loud ringing in his ears screaming "wrong" as they always did when someone came too near them with murder in their thoughts. No matter how small an enemy was, or how weak they were, foxes and animals were always built to fear creatures that had a certain amount of killer intent.

Something caught his attention from up ahead as they walked on. It was a small puddle of water laying clear on the side of the road the team was traveling. He felt Sasuke giving the fox worried glances. Naruto noticed that Kakashi had given a sly glance towards the water before turning away.

The kitsune felt relief wash over him. He knew that jounin was good for something. Well, it atleast gave him time to calm down.

Sasuke sensed Naruto's anxiety in waves. It was practically flooding off of him. Sai and Sakura must have also felt the tenseness of the fox, for they turned to him in curiosty.

"Ne, Sasuke-san..." Sai started. This was the first time he really spoke since their departure from the village, "...is Naruto-kun alright? He seems agitated." Sai turned his concerned black eyes towards the fox, whose body seemed to flinch at his words. The fox frowned mentally at allowing himself to be read to easily by a stranger.

Sasuke turned a cold gaze to the other raven. Sai returned the gaze coolly, a smirk almost forming on his face. The artist really had nothing against the Uchiha, nor did he know why the other raven was always mad at him, but he couldn't resist teasing him. It was fun teasing his look-alike. He figured the best way was with the genius's pet. 

They all continued walking for a minute or so in silence. 

That was when their attackers striked.

It was fast and sudden, surprising everyone. They came out of nowhere, two ninja who held spiked chains and giant metal claws fit for slashing and ripping. They had murder brimming in their eyes, bloodlust pouring from their forms.

And then suddenly, Kakashi was torn to pieces and shreds, blood scattering around his flesh as it fell apart. Sakura gave a slight scream at the attack on their sensei, Tazuna and Sai were staring in shock at the sudden death of the silver-haired ninja. It surprised Sasuke as well, but if their fight with him proved anything, he knew that their sensei was okay. The only thing they had to worry about was the bridge builder.

The assassins moved fast, disappearing in one place and reappearing in another, like a cat would. Sasuke and the others moved quickly, trying to take action in the attack.

Sakura took a defensive stance in front of Tazuna as to help him avoid any damage from the oncoming shinobi.

One ran after Sai, claw outstratched in an offensive state. Sai's eyes widened for a moment in surprise at the sudden attack before his instincts kicked in and he started to swiftly evade the oncoming attacks being thrown by his assassin. He moved with grace, the muscles on his torso contracting from under his black shirt. He made no move to pull out a weapon for an attack, merely focusing on dodging the attacks thrown at him.

The other attacker headed towards Sasuke, a metal, clawed hand raised for an offensive attack. Sasuke  
was prepared to dodge and counter on the seemingly crazed ninja, but something held tightly around the ninja's leg, jerking him backwards and away from his raven prey who stood not three feet from him.

_'What the hell...?' _The ninja thought.

Naruto's firey, red-orange tail had somehow extended in length dramatically, wrapping around the attacker's leg and holding him in place away from his master. Naruto's eyes that were once blue and bottomless now held a firey rage of red in them. It would be easy to miss at first in the rest of all the fox's now spiked red-orange fur, but they were glinting maliciously, shining like rubies.

And all of its fury pointing right at the shinobi that had made a killing intent move towards Sasuke. Naruto's lip was curled back in rage, baring his sharp canines.

The extended tail gripped the ninja's leg tightly before lifting the male off the ground and tossing him forcefully to the ground, knocking the breath out of the man as the earth under him cracked from the force of it. The shinobi quickly recovered though, and turned on the fox. The mad ninja was aiming its claw towards the fox, trying to inflict some damage to it  
in revenge for the unexpected attack he received.

Naruto wasn't prepared for the fast recovery, however, and though the red fox had evaded the first few onslaughts from the maddened ninja, he got nicked in the paw. It began to burn into his skin immediately, and he unwillingly let out a whimper. 

Sasuke felt a boil of anger rising from his stomach as he saw his pet get hurt. He threw a kunai from his pouch towards the shinobi with perfect accuracy, but the ninja was prepared for such a basic move, and deflected them with his clawed hand. Instead of playing with the raven genin, he changed direction and moved towards the client that they were assigned to kill.

Sasuke noticed this, and snapped out of his reverie to swiftly move in front of Sakura to aid in her protection.

But as sudden as it all started, it was over as Kakashi appeared out of nowhere, and slammed his arm around the attacking shinobi's neck, knocking him out immediately. In the silver-haired ninja's other arm lay the limp body of the other attacking brother ninja. Sakura and Sasuke were both a bit surprised at the sudden appearance of their sensei, but as soon as Sasuke noticed he had stopped the assassins so quickly and with such ease, he relaxed his stance and began to pout.

_'Showoff.'_

Sakura too relaxed her stance and put her kunai away with a sigh of relief, pink hair tussled and green eyes weary from the fear that had welled up inside of her. Tazuna was deeply relieved, sweat pouring off his face as the sign of his great anxiety only moments before. Sai walked over to the group, unharmed and apparently unaffected at the whole event, as if it had never happened.

His response was odd when Sakura questioned how he fared, seeing as he was quite forgotten in the whole ordeal.

"Well, I tried aiming for his dick, but when I aimed a kick there, he always blocked it. It would have been a good method to use, seeing as that's what women aim for when normally fighting against men...but this guy didn't really seem to have a penis in the first place. So it was troubling for a while."

They all sweatdropped.

After the two shinobi brothers were tied securely to a tree, they were discovered as being mist ninja by Kakashi. Said sensei then explained his reasons for holding back on attacking as trying to discover who the mist shinobis' aim was. Inner Sakura was screaming and cursing Kakashi with all her,er...inner might.

Sai walked away from the mist ninja to where Naruto was lying on the ground, curled up and licking the wound he had received from the claw.

It was burning into his skin so much! It hurt badly, and licking it didn't seem to help. Sai kneeled down next to the fox, and took a look at the scratch there. Naruto tried to refrain from flinching at the touch.

"It's poisoned." Sai said, his dark eyes trained on the wound on Naruto's paw. Kakashi and the others turned their attention towards the fox and dick-speak boy.

"Maa, is that so? I didn't mean to have him get hurt, but I had to refrain from attacking, like I said earlier." Kakashi walked over to the fox as Sasuke followed him to where they were. "It seems their blades were poisoned. So sorry, Naruto-kun." Kakashi apologized to the fox. Then he berated himself mentally. 'Who the hell apologizes to an animal that can't understand you?' Inner Kakashi moped.

_'Couldn't handle yourself that well, dobe?'_ Sasuke asked as Kakashi bent down to take a closer look at the wound and went to work by tying it up with medical tape. Naruto glanced up at him and glared, aqua eyes shining like blue diamonds.

_**'Teme! You should be a bit more grateful. It's not my fault the stupid things had poison in them! You owe me some ramen after this, dammit!' **_

After everything settled down, and Naruto's paw was safely wrapped, they all prepared to make their way over to the assigned shore that would take them to the Land of Waves. Earlier, Kakashi had given the flustered Tazuna a serious eye, and demanded that he spill everything he knew about why the mist ninja had attacked them in the middle of nowhere, as Kakashi had designated that it was the bridgebuilder they were targeting, seeing as they had no quarrel with them.

During the silent boat ride to the Land of Waves, Tazuna had revealed everything about his dangerous case, and how he was being saught for slaughter by the greedy businessmen Gato who refused to let the bridge that would bring trade be finished. Everyone listened calmly, and Kakashi decided that they might as well finish the task, even though the liklihood for jounin to appear later had increased.

Inner Kakashi sighed remoursefully.

Naruto's wound healed very well, and almost immediately, which puzzled the silver-haired instructor, and made him suspicious of the fox. Sasuke tried to brush it off as nothing important, only that Naruto was a fast healer. Sasuke insisted that the fox stay on his shoulder for the remaining trip as to try to keep Kakashi-sensei's suspicions at bay for now. 

On the way, Sakura and Sai got into a small fight, with Sai irritating the pink-headed girl for no good reason when he started suddenly going on and on about penises when he spotted a strange looking corn stalk that took on the likeness of one. He started to draw something, which was obviously inspired by the strange corn stalk, and showed it to the pink-headed genin for an opinion.

A hit to where the sun doesn't shine was his answer.

**0o0o0o0o**

A/N: I know, everyone is ready to kill me fore the slow update, but I have other news! I am currently working on another fic, called **Cure My Tragedy**. Please check it out and review for me! I want to know what everyone thinks of the idea, and if it goes well, I'm going to have to take a bit of a break from this fic. Hopefully it won't be too long of one, but honestly, I'm starting to lose inspiration for this, so hopefully after a new view, I might get it back. But I AM NOT abandoning this. I'll carry on with you guys to the end! But please check out the new fic. The first chapter is already up!

Also, I know I'm super sucky on the battle part, but bare with me. _-sweatdrop-_ Actually, that's where most of my writer's block was.

Thanks guys! 


	10. Day Before Battle

_**SilverKyuubi says: **_Hey guys! New chapter finally arrives! Thanks for the awesome reviews and such. I know this is slow moving and everything, but hey, that's the good part about it, right? I would really appreciate some more love for my other fic _Cure My Tragedy_, pretty please! I swear it's not _that_bad, is it? _-huddles in corner-_ But anyway, you guys are great, and keep reviewing!

I tried to make this a little longer. I would have uploaded this a couple of days ago, but I had my computer taken away from me before I could! _-cries-_ Gomen! Well, I hope you enjoy it nice and well...sheesh, it really will be atleast 30 chapters before this thing is anywhere near done. Keep me at it! I promise to not abandon it if you guys help me out!

_**Pairings:**_ SasuNaru, of course...for all the SasuNaru fans out there!

_**Warnings: **_you know that really hot stuff that thousands of people read everyday? it's called yaoi, and if you're a weird person who's a homophobe, this isn't for you!!!

_**Disclaimer:**_ Shimatta! I don't own Naruto? WHY THE HELL NOT!!!!

Enjoy!!

**0o0o0o0o**

_**My Kitsune**_

_Chapter Nine: Day Before Battle_

**0o0o0o0o**

The tree climbing training was a lot harder than it first looked.

All that concentration and movement, trying to stick your feet to the bark of the tree and defy gravity, things normal people aren't usually supposed to be able to do. Except ninja of course, and this was obviously a genin thing to do, since they were all doing it together and stupid Kakashi-sensei decided to go and knock himself out without energy.

Sasuke was frowning at that last bit. It was a bit annoying really.

That fight with the big gorilla wearing camo arm warmers that came out of no where kind of freaked everyone out, especially Tazuna. They had to be prepared for it, as it was to be expected of shinobi, but it made Sasuke realize exactly how weak and _un_prepared they were for something like that. And he was kinda pissed that Kakashi decided to go bang himself up on that fight, so now he couldn't personally train Sasuke into doing better.

But he wanted to get a hang of all of this first.

His first try going up the tree wasn't all bad, until his chakra leaked out too much and pushed him off of it, almost making him fall on his pale ass. He was even _more_ pissed when Sakura had managed to do the exercise the first time without braking a sweat. So now him and Sai were left trying to do this thing on their own, a secret challenge pressing between them.

Neither wanted to lose to the other. It was pretty funny, since Sai and Sasuke could almost be passed as twins they looked so much alike, so it was ironic that they decided to challenge each other on this particular match.

It's been about two days since Kakashi-sensei had led them to the forest of chakra where they could learn how to better control the way they use techniques. It was interesting to learn about it in Sasuke's opinion. Sai thought it was entirely boring, but their sensei had said it was probably better to learn from experience anyway.

And so they continued to try to further their training with kunai cutting the bark up the tree. Sai made a little progress, but he was going up a bit farther, Sasuke pointed out to himself with a smirk, sweat and dirt covering his body and clothes. The Uchiha took satisfaction at beating the other raven by a little bit.

Naruto watched from under the shade of a tree nearby, yawning every once in a while out of boredom at watching the two.

_**'I'm going to head back to the bridge builder's house. Are you coming in tonight at all? This little game between you two isn't giving you much attention to anything else you know. Things like sleep.'**_ Naruto said as he stood and stretched like a cat, getting all the kinks out of his back. Sasuke left a mark on the tree a little above the previous ones he made. He jumped down again, on the way noticing that Sai was starting to catch up, and landed next to Naruto, a little out of breath. He smirked at the fox.

_'You sure you're not just jealous that it's taking my attention away from you for once?'_ Naruto sent a glare over to the raven and wordlessly left, gracefully leaping over fallen branches and towards the house until he was out of sight in the glowing sunset. Sasuke stared after him for a minute, a smug look still present on his normally stoic face. _'Heh, thought so.'_

**0o0o0o0o**

Naruto silently opened the door with his paw. He saw everyone at the table eating dinner. Kakashi was reading his book every once in a while, glancing at the perverted pages, and Sakura was happily chewing away at her food. Her green eyes glanced over at Naruto when she heard the door open slightly.

"Heya, Naruto! Where's Sasuke-kun and Sai?" Her eyes were gleaming at the helpless hope of seeing Sasuke again. The fox almost wanted to roll his eyes at her antics sometimes. She was a sweet girl, and could be a bit useful and knowledgeable when she wanted to be, it's just that her infatuation with his master was going to get her killed one day. Or make her look like an idiot. Oh wait, that already happens...

The fox only made a gurgling whimper that signaled his annoyance of the situation with his master. Sakura smiled a little brighter.

"Haha, still training, huh? Sasuke-kun works so hard! I'm sure he'll make it to the top in no time!" A full out grin was splayed on her lips. Tsunami looked over from the dishes she was washing to smile at Naruto.

"Would you like something to eat, Naruto-kun?" The fox's blue eyes lit up at the thought of food. He hurriedly jogged over to Tsunami who was putting a bowl of meats and another bowl of fresh milk in front of the kitsune to eat. As her fingers put the bowls down, Naruto licked her fingers before she pulled them away to show his thanks to her. She giggled lightly, her hand covering her mouth politely. She rubbed his head before he dug into the food.

After a full tummy, Naruto looked around the room to see everyone cleaning up, Tazuna belching loudly to show his appreciation of his daughter's cooking. Sakura was helping Tsunami with the other dishes, and Kakashi was over on the side still reading his book. Naruto noted that Inari had been absent from the table for a long time. He growled slightly in annoyance at the village boy. He had claimed that his team was too weak to be able to handle Gato, and that it was pointless to even try. Naruto's pride was severely hurt by that, and he almost jumped the boy for making such an accusation on them, since they were the ones who wanted to help them in the first place.

Naruto inwardly smirked. _**'This is a good time to get back at that brat. I'm sure it could be excused if I decide to mangle with the gaki a little. I'm just an innocent pet after all.'**_ You could swear there was an evil smile coming from the fox.

He trotted up the stairs, his footsteps lightly tapping against the wooded floor. When he reached a room that reeked Inari's scent, he decided to slide up against the wall in mock stealth. The door was open a crack, but he could pick up strange noises coming from inside. Now curious, his fox ears twitched a bit. As he neared the door, the noises became a little more audible, and he immediately recognized them as heartborken sobs.

Naruto's ears drooped, suddenly not in the mood to play pranks anymore. He peeked one little blue eye through the door. What he saw made him even more depressed.

Inari was hunched over his desk, looking out of his open window out towards the dark sea outside, moonlight spilt over the waves. Since his back was towards Naruto, he could only see very little. Just a picture that was clutched to the boy's chest, the brunette's shoulder's shaking terribly with each sob he spilt forth. He was mumbling a little under his breath, voice shaken and raspy with his crying. But the fox could pick up one word.

"D-daddy..."

Naruto's beautiful sapphire eyes dimmed at these words. Such sadness could be felt pouring from the boy. It filled him with shame in his heart to think that he had been prepared to mess with the boy.

With his head down slightly and his tail and ears drooping, he made his way back downstairs to leave the boy in privacy.

**0o0o0o0o**

Naruto rushed through the woods to Sasuke's normal training tree that he was at most of the time during the day. It was nearly midnight and the Uchiha still hadn't come back to the house even though Sai had come back about 30 minutes before. In Naruto's mouth as he ran was a small wrapped bento box for Sasuke's dinner that he forgot to eat. Naruto scowled in his mind. _**'That baka...if he keeps doing this he'll kill himself.'**_

_'Who are you calling a baka?_ Sasuke's deep voice sounded tired as it glided across Naruto's mind. His ears perked up, and glancing around the area carefully to make sure no one was watching, or there weren't any curious eyes, he slowly shifted back into his original half-human form, complete with fox black tipped ears and tail swishing back and forth. His blue eyes searched around for Sasuke.

"Where are you, teme?"

"Over here..." A tired voice lightly called from nearby. Naruto quickly jogged over to where he heard the voice, looking to see Sasuke laying with his back against another tree near the one he was practicing on, his features bathed in moonlight, his eyes closed. As Naruto stopped by Sasuke's side, he looked over Sasuke. He was covered in muck, dirt, and sweat from his training. Naruto's face scrunched up.

"You need a bath." Sasuke opened his eyes and looked up at the blonde standing over him with the moon bringing out a silver color in his ebony eyes.

"Says the animal." Sasuke said with a smirk. Naruto frowned.

"Teme, you're going to kill yourself. Here," the fox held out his hand that carried the bento box. "You need some food."

Sasuke took it with gratitude, still not moving from his spot on the forest floor. He quickly untied the cloth holding it and began to eat with vigor. Naruto smiled lightly at his master's hunger, taking a seat next to him. "Don't choke now." He chided. Sasuke merely glared over for a second before continuing his meal.

After it was completed in the short amount of time, the raven put the box next to him, letting out a satisfied sigh.

"That was good." Naruto just grinned at Sasuke.

"Thank Tsunami-san. Her cooking's real good! She gave me all meat." The fox said with a happy glee. Sasuke eyed Naruto with a strange expression.

"I thought you don't like to go for meat. Something about trying to cut back or something, and preserving the other animals' lives." Naruto stopped grinning for a second. Then he sheepishly put his hand on the back of his neck, scratching it in a nervous gesture.

"Yeah, well, I _am_ a fox. Nature calls." Sasuke snorted at his pet's lame excuse.

They then just rested there for a moment, relishing in the moonlight with a comfortable silence. Sasuke was exhausted from training on the tree, but he made some major progress. It takes a lot longer than he had originally thought, and he was terribly tired. His eyes were drooping, and he could barely stay awake. Especially with Naruto right next to him. His presence often made him feel relaxed, and made it all the harder to stay awake. His pet's voice brought him back from his half-asleep state.

"That kid Inari...he doesn't sound too good." Sasuke was surprised by the serious and somewhat solemn tone in his fox's voice. He turned his onyx eyes on him, examining his face under the moonlight. Naruto's eyes were trained in front of ihm, as if lost in a memory he just recently acquired. "He was crying in his bedroom. I thought he was just another brat, but I think he lost his dad, or someone really close to him."

Sasuke turned away at that. Where was Naruto going with this?

"So?" He said in an emotionless tone. "It's got nothing to do with me. For all I know, the kid really wants to be alone with his thoughts." Naruto turned his head sharply at his master, a frown marring his face.

"'So'? Come on, Sasuke, I know how you felt when you were in a state like that. The last thing you wanted was to be alone." Sasuke glared briefly at the ground in front of him before he suddenly stood up in anger and turned his gaze to the still seated blonde.

"What do you want me to do about it, Naruto? I'm not you, some curious and helpless fox that can simply interfere with anyone's lives as they please." Naruto gaped at the Uchiha. He clenched his fist to his chest. _**'Did he really just say that...?'**_ Naruto gritted his teeth, sudden anger a the raven's words coursing through his veins. He stood up to meet his master's gaze as well, straining his neck upward to meet Sasuke's ebony gems.

"Is that all I am to you?! A nuisance who interfered in your private life while you were tearing yourself to pieces?!" Naruto was furious now. Anger didn't cut it anymore. _**'How dare he?!'**_

Sasuke merely scowled at his pet. Naruto stared right back. The air around them was still. The forest was silent, as if the very being of the woods and life surrounding them sensed the extreme anger pouring off the two boys.

_'Things could have been different if you never came.'_

_**'You could have turned me away, I didn't see you saying anything to turn me the fuck away!!'**_

_'You don't understand. You'll never understand!'_

Naruto's face turned even angrier.

_**'Pray tell, what the hell am I not understanding?'**_

Sasuke didn't respond to that question, and continued to stare. After a few more moments, his face went lax, an emotionless mask coming over his face, his eyes turning to cold stone. Naruto almost flinched at the look his master was giving him. He just now realized what he had done. He had brought up some things he really shouldn't have. The blonde really just wanted to help the kid, and since he couldn't with words, he thought his master would be able to have come common sense and try to save the kid from himself. Naruto didn't mean to bring up Sasuke's past pain as well. Naruto turned his fox ears back and he wrapped his tail around his waist, as if in protection.

"Sa-Sasuke..." He started. Sasuke merely turned his head down and moved away and past him towards the house. "Sasuke! Wait!" He started to run after his master, but the Uchiha glanced over his shoulder an ice cold glare that he hadn't seen in a long time, and it froze him in his tracks. Sasuke continued onward to the house, leaving Naruto behind to stare after him in shock.

A few minutes after Sasuke left his sight, Naruto hit a nearby tree with his fist in frustration. His master...he hurt Sasuke.

He ran a clawed hand through his spiky blonde hair.

_**'What the hell am I doing?'**_

Naruto looked again over to the house, before shifting his form into his fox form and turning away from it, taking off into the woods. He wouldn't be sleeping in the bridge builder's shelter tonight.

Long after Naruto had left, a figure stepped out from a tree quite a ways away from the area where the heated argument took place.

As the wind blew, Sai smirked.

This was good information.

He disappeared under a twirl of leaves.

**0o0o0o0o**

He looked out the window of the hideout, simply watching the morning spread across the sky and all beings come to life to start a new day.

He smiled, and reached behind him to take his long and beautiful brown hair from the bun that it was in, letting it billow out behind him, shining against the first morning rays of dawn. He looked over at the sleeping man to his left, the man's form taking up most of the bed. He left a soft and caring smile spread over his lips before quickly changing out of his normal clothes and putting on a nice pink dress and a black choker.

Taking one last glance around the room with his chocolate brown eyes, Haku left their hiding place with a basket. It was time to gather herbs.

As he walked calmly along the forest floor so early in the morning, he was filled with joy at freely being outside again. On his knees and pulling out the roots or plants, birds started to sense his calm spirit, and decided to join him by perching on Haku's shoulder. Haku turned his sweet eyes over to the birds and smiled at them with a kind heart, his brown hair spilling over his shoulder.

The birds sensed something a little ways away from them, and departed the former ANBU's shoulder, flying away the possible threat of another being. Haku, too, looked up to see what it was the birds were flying away from.

His eyes searched until they landed on a young boy, curled up in a small hollow at the base of a tree asleep. He looked like a normal enough boy to Haku, seemingly harmless, but he thought it would be better to wake him. It was quite chilly in the mornings, especially in the Land of Waves. With the sea water there, it was always a bit cold-tempered in the morning and very moist: an easy way to catch sickness.

Haku abandoned his chore for the moment, and walked over to the sleeping blonde. He looked down upon him, and took in his facial features. He had three strange whisker-like marks stretched out over his tanned cheeks, and beautiful, spiky hair that seemed to defy gravity and stick up everywhere. He looked no older than Haku himself.

_'Weird kid...what are you doing sleeping out in a forest like that?'_ Haku reached over and shook him awake.

"If you stay like that, you'll catch a cold." Haku continued to shake him awake until Naruto's eyes fluttered.

"H-huh? Okay, I'm up." Naruto blinked his eyes before he stared sleepily into the face of Haku. The young boy offered a smile to the blonde. The blonde's eyes widened suddenly at the face of the stranger and his hands immediately went to his ears for some reason, as if expecting to find them chopped off or something.

_'A bad dream...?'_ "You know, anyone can come along and hurt you by sleeping in the forest like that. Were you there all night?" Haku attempting conversation. The blonde seemed appeased that his ears were just fine and smiled up to the brunette.

"I'm just fine, dattebayo! I sleep in the forest a lot!" Then, as if suddenly realizing what he said, tried again. "W-well, I mean...you know, it's good...training! All that learning to survive in the wilderness stuff. Heh heh!" Naruto scratched the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. Haku merely smiled at the cute blonde's antics and carefree nature.

"Well, since you're up so early, would you like to help me with my herb collection?" Haku offered. It might speed up the process and let him get to know the boy a bit more.

Naruto grinned at the boy. "Sure!"

Haku gave a quick lesson to the blonde as to what plants to pull up. Their features and what they smelled like, as to know the appropriate ones before Naruto was confident enough to pick the ones on his own.

_**'She's really sweet.'**_ Naruto thought with a smile. It was nice to find a kind stranger. He sniffed the air again, trying to get a whiff of the atmosphere around the girl, only to realize that it wasn't a girl at all. Girls and boys produce different pheromones. Naruto stared blankly at him. _**'Holy shit! Who would have every guessed? He's **_**way**_** prettier than Sakura!'**_ He glanced over to the boy again, who pretended not to notice the staring. When the long-haired brunette finally looked over to see the appalled look on Naruto's face, he questioned him.

"Is something wrong?"

"Are you- are you a boy?" Naruto asked in a still seeming surprised voice. His eyes and his nose were telling him two different things. Haku's eyes widened a fraction before softening.

"Why, yes, I am. I think you're the first stranger to ever find that out when I'm in this outfit." Haku smiled kindly over to Naruto. Naruto merely stared back, now a bit wary of the person in front of him. He tried his hardest to get a scent off of the boy in front of him. Once he got it, he immediately associated it with the strange kid that had interfered and took Zabuza away and saved him. Naruto's sapphire eyes narrowed. So this was that highly advanced kid...

It was hard to smell the ANBU at the time, since there was so much water after the battle with Zabuza, but he managed to get a brief smell to identify him with.

Naruto took this all in, and turned back to his plant picking, mulling over the new information he had now. This guy was a killer, and it would probably be dangerous to leave this alone right now. His thoughts were taken away from the event when Haku spoke.

"So, what were you training for in the forest?" A seemingly harmless question. He decided to play along.

"You know, just training. Is it a problem?" Haku was taken aback by the sudden cold voice coming from Naruto. _'What brought this change? He was so nice a minute ago.'_

"No, of course not. I was just curious." The brunette inwardly sighed. He didn't want to be enemies with the boy if he decided to suddenly have mood swings like a girl. So, he tried to take a different approach. He went to sit near the boy, but not so close as to interfere more than was necessary in fear of setting the boy off. "So, are you training for someone special, or your own satisfaction?"

Naruto jerked at this question and quickly turned to look at Haku. _**'Did he seriously just ask that?'**_ Naruto was starting to second guess the girly-boy's actions, and his own. What a question... the fox felt that there was a lot of meaning behind that question. His expression softened. He sometimes forgets that even enemies are humans afterall. And this was definitely a human question.

"Yes. He means the world to me, and we fight a lot, but when it comes down to it, that stuff doesn't matter." Naruto's expression went into one of thoughtful, as he thought about his master. He didn't know if he really wanted to replay some of his more inner feelings to a supposed enemy, but he thought it couldn't hurt too bad to get his thoughts out. Haku merely smiled in understanding, and it made Naruto's heart warm to see such a smile.

"I know. When it comes to protecting someone you truly care for, that is when you become truly strong." They shared a knowing smile. Naruto almost berated himself for opening up like this to a complete stranger, and worse, an enemy. What would Sasuke think of him now if he found out that Naruto knew about all this and said nothing?

Speaking of the devil, both Haku and Naruto turned slightly to see Sasuke coming towards them.

Haku stood, basket in hand, and smiled down at Naruto.

"You will become stronger. I hope we meet again, young stranger." He bowed slightly before moving away. Naruto nodded his head towards the brunette, watching as Haku passed Sasuke in a tense moment before it moved on.

Naruto immediately tensed at seeing his master look at him. He knew there was still extreme tension between him and his master, but he could hardly feel the strength to say anything. He was so afraid of messing things up further, so he simply didn't say anything, and stared back into Sasuke's hard coal eyes.

"Dobe..." Sasuke spoke, though his voice was ice cold. Naruto lowered his head, a clenching in his heart making it hard to move. "Come on. You didn't even come to the bridge builder's place. Tsunami is still serving breakfast." With that, Sasuke turned away. Naruto simply nodded and shifted back into his fox form before silently following Sasuke until the raven stopped at his normal training tree, and queued Naruto to go on ahead to their temporary shelter.

Sasuke had originally been slightly worried about Naruto's whereabouts, and still feeled with resentment towards the fox for bringing up bad times, but seeing that submission told him how sorry the fox really was. But Sasuke wouldn't give in so quickly, not even for Naruto.

As the Uchiha stared at the tree in front of him, he decided this would be perfect for working off some steam. He never even bothered to question Naruto about his conversation with that girl picking herbs. He got a bad vibe from her, but decided to shake it off. It was time to train anyways instead of worrying about useless things.

**0o0o0o0o**

Naruto trotted towards Tazuna's house, passing Sai on the way who gave a brief 'Hi, Naruto-kun' with a strange expression on his face as he looked at him. Naruto thought it was extremely strange, but decided to brush it off as another one of 'Sai's weirdness moments'. He'd look into it later. A fox doesn't miss much after all.

When he was on the porch, he looked over the side to see that Inari was sitting on the side with his feet poking into the water surrounding the outer half of the house, a thoughtful look on his face. He didn't radiate the normal depression that he used to, which made Naruto curious for a minute, though he was grateful the kid decided to get out of his own pity party. It was honestly getting annoying.

Naruto left the kid to himself, and went inside through the door. Tsunami greeted him kindly, though it was immediately obvious that something else was weighing heavily on his mind. She fed him properly and well, Tazuna reading the newspaper at the dining table. The fox wondered into the next bedroom to find Kakashi doing some pushups in order to get him back to full health. He wondered into another room to find Sakura packing some supplies in her messenger bag. When she heard Naruto's footsteps padding against the wooden floor, she looked over and flashed as bright a smile as she could in the morning.

"Hey, Naruto! We were wondering where you were last night. I thought Sasuke was going to turn himself over with worry, the way his face was all scrunched up at dinner yesterday." Sakura grinned at the fox, who placed himself on the futon sprawled out on the floor. His head cocked to the side at that comment. Sasuke was worried? Sakura grinned more and squealed lightly at the fox's adorable antics and scratched his ears, drawing mewls from the fox.

"You're so adorable, you know that? But you missed out on a great story last night! Though it was really sad, too. And Sasuke got pretty emotional, though I thought it was hot." Sakura rambled on. She told the fox the story about Inari's 'dad', who wasn't really his dad. How he came to be known as a great hero in the village, and how he was killed by Gato, completely destroying Inari's spirit in the process.

_**'Well, that explains all that whining and crying.' **_Naruto thought. No wonder the kid was depressed all the time, to have the guy he looked up to tortured and killed the way he was.

"Sasuke-kun was getting a bit pissed at what he said though, and told him to stop moping and crying over himself, saying that it wouldn't help." She grinned at the fox again, who seemed to have shock radiating from his frail body. "I know, right? Who would think that Sasuke-kun would go and say something like _that?_ It was so out of the blue too. I didn't see it coming. Sai looked like he just saw a ghost. Then he just got up and walked out. Man, you missed a great show." Sakura had stars in her eyes as she thought of her darling Sasuke-kun, demanding and abrupt. _'So sexy...'_ Inner Sakura thought.

Sakura looked down again at Naruto who seemed to be thinking over her words.

"You know, sometimes I think you're a human." The fox snapped his head up at the pink-headed girl as she said this. Gulp. W-what? "You act so much like you understand me. Sometimes I catch Sasuke-kun talking to you too, well, you know since I'm kind of his stalker." Naruto sweatdropped. "I thought it was that kind of love for animals thing. Some people do that, and I think it's another really sweet attribute to him, but now I know why. It's like you really know what we're saying! Amazing!" She smiled again at him. Naruto's inner relief couldn't be more. _**'I thought she was catching on. I should have known better.'**_

"Well, I have to go. It's what I'm packing for. Another accompanying trip with Tazuna-san! It's _so_ boring, but tomorrow, sensei says that he'll be at full health and be able to go to the bridge with Sasuke and Sai. They said they should be finished by then too. Man! Sasuke-kun is growing so strong! He's almost at the top!" She let out another ear-piercing squeal. It was then that the kitsune decided it was time to leave the room.

Naruto went outside, and still seeing Inari there, decided to go ahead and sit by him. Inari turned his head at the fox's approach.

"Do you think it's stupid of me to cry over my dad?"

_**'Sure it's okay to mourn for them. But you were just plain old annoying whining before. Can't say I much agree with that.'**_ Naruto merely grumbled slightly.

"Hmm. Kakashi-san told me Sasuke had a pretty beat up past too, said he had no family at all."

_**'Hey! He's got me! What, I'm not good enough for that bastard? That fucking scarecrow.'**_

"He said that Sasuke never lets himself get down about his family's death though."

_**'Pssht. Ain't that a lie. Kid, there's more than one way to let a family's death get you down. I think that he whines more than you do.'**_

"I want to be strong though. Like my father, and my mother. Heck, even you're stronger than me."

_**'IS THAT AN INSULT?! You wanna die, brat?!'**_

"But I never had it told in my face that way. It's like it wasn't even that emo kid."

_**'Yes! Someone agrees with me! He is emo. I mean, not seriously, but you should see him sometimes. Yup. Definitely worse than you, though less annoying than you. More bastardly though. It pisses me off.'**_

"Oh well. Thanks for the pep talk, lil' foxy!" Inari flashed a somewhat smile.

Naruto's eye twitched.

_**''Lil' foxy'? What the hell planet are you from, kid? AND I DIDN'T EVEN SAY ANYTHING! YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR MIND! FIND A COUNSELOUR!!'**_

All Inari heard was little yelps coming from the fox. The young kid thought it was yelps of encouragement.

Yup. Needed some extreme counseling.

**0o0o0o0o**

A/N: Well, there ya go. Geez, it seems to be taking me forever to just get to the fricking battle, huh? _-frowns-_ I bet you guys would be pissed if I decided to time skip over it, huh? Lol. _-randomly decides it-_ "Naw, I'm too lazy to right a big old battle with the drama. I think I'll just skip to where they all celebrate and leave to go home." _-gets bombarded by books and lamps and other items from readers- _I'll try REALLY hard to do a good job on the fight!

Review Please!!!

Later.


End file.
